Always Faithful
by kohana101
Summary: In order to save Rin, Sesshomaru makes a deal with Naraku to kill Kikyo. But the deal goes bad when Sesshomaru's feelings get in the way...CHAPTER 18 IS UP!
1. A Life Giving Deal

Always Faithful

**Chapter 1 **

It was after his fierce battle with Inuyasha….that fated day when Sesshomaru set eyes upon a mischievous young girl's face. A girl that remained speechless ever since her family was brutally murdered, and was left with no one to turn to for affection. Although sympathy was an emotion Sesshomaru had never felt, Rin brought to him the very thing he had been lacking. Ever since then, she always had a place in Sesshomaru's heart.

They were sitting by a peaceful lake, the three of them- Sesshomaru, Jaken and Rin. The air was still and silent, but a slight breeze sent little ripples through the water, splashing against Rin's bare legs. She threw a casual glance in Sesshomaru's direction, and noticed that Tenseiga was unsheathed and in his grasp. Curious as she was of his sword, Rin couldn't help but ask.

"Um….Lord Sesshomaru? I was just wondering if I could…I mean you don't have to let me…it's totally up to you and I don't mean to be rude, but…"

Tenseiga instantly clattered on the ground in front of her. Rin stared at it, mesmerized. She then looked up at Sesshomaru, who was gazing out at the horizon.

"Are you sure? I mean, if it makes you uncomfortable…" Just then Jaken snatched the sword away, and brought it to Sesshomaru's side.

"No touching you worthless brat! You should know better than to steal a man's prized possessions!" Jaken sneered. He offered the sword to his master, but Sesshomaru knocked it away, still keeping his eyes fixed on the line where water and sky met.

Night fell all too quickly, and the temperature dropped to a very cool level. Both Jaken and Rin lay fast asleep among the tall reeds that surrounded the lake. Sesshomaru, however, was fully awake, unwilling to let sleep take him. He was trying to decide how to drag out the death of his little brother when he caught sight of a feather flying in the distance.

"It's that damn wind witch again" Sesshomaru muttered to himself. Silently so as not to wake up anyone, he disappeared into the brush.

"Alright, what is it you want this time?"

Kagura emerged from behind a tree with a smirk on her face. "I thought I'd find you here, you sly demon. I have a favor to ask, and Naraku has nothing to do with it."

Sesshomaru became aware of a deep red scar that ran the length of the elemental demon's arm. Most likely from Naraku's relentless beatings.

"Well? Can't I trust a man of such strength and beauty to do my bidding?" Kagura persisted, moving in very close.

"Why do you constantly seek me?" Sesshomaru questioned. "I have no interest in working with you."

Kagura rested a hand on his chest. "I know." She smoothed out some wrinkles in his robe. "Did you really think I came here to send you on a mission? Don't be ridiculous. I want the chance to prove myself worthy of you."

"I do not involve myself with others. Step away before I am forced to kill you" Sesshomaru growled.

Before Kagura could protest in frustration, a loud cry pierced the air. Sesshomaru immediately pulled away from her. As he slipped into the darkness, Kagura laughed in spite of herself. "You'll be mine eventually, pretty boy. When I am free of Naraku, I will come for you."

Sesshomaru was hoping Inuyasha had cried out, so he could cut off the dog demon's head to silence him. Unfortunately, the lake was empty. In spite of this, the scent of blood lingered in the air. By following his keen sense of smell, Sesshomaru was led to the source: Rin. She laid face down, deep slashes imbedded in her tender flesh. Rivers of blood poured down her body and collected in pools on the ground beneath her. Jaken had obviously run away; he was nowhere to be seen. _Damn him!_ Sesshomaru thought. As he searched for the Tenseiga, he realized that he had left it by the lake and it was no longer there. _What kind of creature came through here?_ It couldn't have been Inuyasha, because he was too tame to hurt an innocent girl. It had to be a demon, most likely another one of Naraku's henchmen. A familiar laugh broke the silence, startling him. Sesshomaru made a swift turn, only to set eyes upon the head honcho himself. Naraku stood quite poised, his grungy black hair hanging limp under the baboon disguise.

"Poor girl. Dying for the second time" Naraku said. Though Sesshomaru didn't have fiery blood like Inuyasha, he had to admit that Naraku was a natural at pissing people off.

"It was you….I should've known."

"Don't be so quick to place the blame. Is this bloody mess my fault?"

Sesshomaru's hand made its way to the handle of his remaining sword. "I have no business with you." Naraku ignored him and commenced his pissing-off-the-big-dumb-mutt speech.

"I'm dreadfully sorry the child was murdered. Too bad you don't have that sword of yours anymore. I'd love to help you, but it may cost you your life."

"I tire of your games, Naraku. Tell me what it is you really want, or you will do so in pieces" Sesshomaru threatened.

"Your hand is trembling…is the great Sesshomaru intimidated? Or maybe this girl really means something to you. Fascinating…and all this time I thought you were a heartless demon."

In a flash, Sesshomaru pulled the Tokijin from its sheath and pressed the pointed edge to Naraku's neck.

"Hehehehehe…." Naraku laughed. "Do you plan to kill me? What will happen to Rin if there is no one left to help her?"

It was obvious that Naraku was teasing him, but it took everything Sesshomaru had not to behead him then and there. Why did he care so much for the scrawny little girl anyway? It wasn't like he needed her for anything. Even with these reassurances, he still couldn't drive away the ache in his chest. Ache? What was this feeling? Surrendering to his emotions, Sesshomaru withdrew Tokijin from Naraku's shoulder. A wide grin spread itself across the youkai's face.

"What….must I do?" Sesshomaru spoke, hesitantly.

Naraku held out his hand, palm up. "Help me send a priestess back to the grave where she belongs. I desperately need the Shikon no Tama, Lord Sesshomaru. This woman is collecting shards as well as I, but no matter what I do there is no way for me to harm her. Curse that stupid bandit Onigumo. If you work with me, Rin will be revived."

Kill a priestess? It seemed unusual of Naraku to bargain so reasonably. Maybe it was a trick of some sort. Sesshomaru thoughtfully stared into Naraku's outstretched hand. His fingers were gnarly, and there was dirt hidden in every nail and crevice. A sudden image of Rin's lifeless body pierced through his mind like a thousand needles, and the pain was unbearable. _Well, I guess I could save the brat's life. All I need to do is assassinate one woman anyway._ He made a compromise, not willing to admit that his feelings had influenced his decision. Slowly, Sesshomaru lifted his hand. Naraku clasped it in his own and shook it readily.

"You and I, Lord Sesshomaru, were destined to be comrades."


	2. The Search

**Chapter 2**

The sun slowly rose, peeking up behind the far mountains. Sesshomaru sat under the orange and pink streaked sky, recalling the past night's events. The ground was damp with blood where Rin had been laying. Naraku had taken her back to his lair, promising to keep her safe until the priestess had been killed. It was a risk Sesshomaru was willing to take, even though he didn't have complete trust in Naraku. Something tugged on his robe, and Sesshomaru mindlessly kicked the nuisance away. Not until he heard a squawk did he realize it was Jaken he had booted.

"M….Master…" Jaken stammered, still recovering from the shock. Sesshomaru loomed over him, casting a dark shadow across the ground.

"Where were you all this time?" Sesshomaru demanded, grinding Jaken's head into the ground with his foot.

"Awp! I'm so…sorry…"

"You're lucky I'm not in the mood to thrash you around. But keep this up and one day I will."

Jaken gulped nervously and bowed incessantly to his master.

"Stop it you fool" Sesshomaru ordered, kicking him in the head again. "We are leaving this place. The air is thick with blood, and I have a sensitive nose."

The two of them immediately lifted off the ground and flew off into the vast blue sky on a floating cloud.

Within Naraku's miasma, Rin had woken up from unconsciousness. Feebly, she got up into a sitting position and shed herself of the thin sheet that was draped over her. Rin's entire body ached, and she had no idea where she was. There were walls in every direction she looked, making Rin feel like a prisoner. One wall, however, turned out to be just a screen, and through it the silhouette of a man was visible.

"L…Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin whispered hoarsely, barely able to speak without some part of her body bursting out in pain.

The silhouette moved closer, and the screen slid open. As the man came into view, Rin gasped. _It's Naraku!_

She attempted to drag herself away from him, but instead she collapsed onto the tatami mat that covered the floor. Naraku entered the room and calmly knelt down at Rin's side. He then pulled a Shikon shard out of his sleeve and held it out for Rin to see.

"I hate to see a child so young suffer. I can easily get rid of your pain."

Rin stared in horror at the glittering shard. _No! That's not what I want! Get away!_

"Even if you don't want this, I have no choice. A deal is a deal."

Naraku grabbed Rin's arms forcefully and held them tightly so she could not struggle. A loud scream resounded throughout the room as he drove the shard into her sore back. Rin thrashed and kicked, enduring what felt like hundreds of daggers running her through at once. For a moment time seemed to stand still, and then her body fell limp in Naraku's arms. The pain was gone.

"Where are we to find this priestess, m'lord?" Jaken asked.

Naraku had used Kanna's mirror to track the priestess's whereabouts. He said that she was lingering in a small village by the ocean, teaching the children to read. _Good, it's not far from here_ Sesshomaru thought. They wasted no time getting to the village, which wasn't very hard to find. The collection of small huts was surrounded by a woodland of tall pine trees, stretching up as far as the eye could see. The village was alive with people, both young and old. The children ran around playing games, while the elderly sat around weaving baskets and doing the things they were capable of doing at that age. Sesshomaru tried to seek out the priestess with his eyes, but he wasn't having much luck.

Jaken grinned devilishly. "Why don't we just massacre the place? It would be easier, and we'd find the priestess a lot quicker…."

"I'd rather not draw attention to myself" Sesshomaru interrupted. "This woman shouldn't be too hard to find."

As soon as they entered the village, a middle aged man confronted them, bowing deeply. "Welcome" he said. Sesshomaru brushed past him, ignoring the greeting. Jaken followed close behind. The man looked puzzled, but didn't bother to go chasing after them.

They searched until dusk, but found no such woman. Sesshomaru sat against an oak tree on the outskirts of the small town, dismayed. _All this trouble for one girl. _It didn't seem worth it, but his heart wouldn't give up. Just then, there was rustling in the bushes, and the sound of children's voices.

"Will you teach us more tomorrow Lady Kikyo?" said a boy's voice.

A young woman's voice responded. "Of course, Hoshi."

The shrubs parted, and the woman emerged. Sesshomaru's eyes widened as he took in her features. She had long black hair, a delicate face, and wore a red and white robe over her slender body. _This must be the priestess!_ He immediately stood up. Kikyo noticed him, and smiled.

"It's okay, Aiko" she said to the little girl that gripped her hand tightly, scared of the stranger. "You're Inuyasha's demon brother, aren't you?" Kikyo said calmly to him.

"Maybe I am. What of it?" Sesshomaru snapped.

"I can only imagine what a man of your class would be doing in as poor a village as this. What brings you here?"

The priestess showed no fear whatsoever, but then again she didn't know what was to come. Jaken pulled his master's sleeve, pointing at the Tokijin and nodding towards Kikyo.

"You wouldn't want to know" Sesshomaru replied. He made no attempt to draw his sword; only gazed at Kikyo with unblinking eyes. _Why doesn't she fear me? _He thought. _Why can't I find the desire in my heart to kill this woman?_

Jaken started to get worried, seeing as Sesshomaru normally had people dead in an instant.

"Go back to the village" Kikyo told the children. They all scurried home, except for Aiko. "Aiko, you should return too."

"No." The girl planted her feet and refused to budge. "I don't want you to get hurt!"

"I'll be fine" Kikyo reassured her, giving Aiko a little push. She finally ran off, but glanced back just about every second. Once out of sight, Kikyo turned to face Sesshomaru. "Really, what do you want from me? Of all people, I don't think there is anything I can do for you."

"Actually, there is one thing…."

**Cliff hanger! Plz review. I want to know if the second chapter is any good.**


	3. Hopeless Love

**Chapter 3**

"There is one thing you can do for me" said Sesshomaru.

He was now face-to-face with Kikyo. For a moment, Sesshomaru was captured by her pure and innocent eyes, losing his ability to speak. The more he stared, the harder it was to look away, and eventually he just gave up trying.

"I came on a mission…" he began, not sure how to phrase the rest of his statement. Kikyo held a finger up to his lips, hushing him. Her sudden movement caught Sesshomaru off guard, and he immediately shut-up.

"I'll bet Naraku sent you to me" Kikyo said, filling in where he had left off. Her hand moved from his lips to his face, tracing the stripes that marked his cheek. Jaken watched with astonishment as this woman touched his master. _Surely Lord Sesshomaru will rip her head off! _But nothing happened. Kikyo continued to speak, and Sesshomaru let her.

"Just tell me this. Why did Naraku send you?" she challenged. "I hardly believe that you, a youkai lord of such power, would seek me out on your own terms."

Sesshomaru knew that priestesses had a knack for discerning the truth, so lying would be totally pointless.

"Ah yes, it was Naraku. The foolish half-breed who can't even take care of his own dirty work. Alas, I cannot expose the reason for which I was sent."

Kikyo frowned, unsatisfied with his answer. "I see…" She decided to probe deeper, thirsty for knowledge. "Well then, would I be wrong to guess that you are here to kill me?"

Sesshomaru veered his gaze to the ground, and then Kikyo knew she was right. She grew agitated, but did her best to keep a straight face. Kikyo did not fear death; it was the way she was to die that concerned her. Her main aspiration in life since she was ressurected was to go with Inuyasha to the next world, and she couldn't allow Sesshomaru to ruin her plans. Aggravated, Kikyo snatched an arrow and strung it across her bow, pointing it straight towards the youkai's heart.

"I will not allow it" she stated plainly. Though her voice quivered, her hands remained steady on the weapon.

Without warning, another arrow came shooting out from between the trees and struck Jaken in the head. He collapsed, the blood trickling down his forehead. Both Sesshomaru and Kikyo whirled around, caught by surprise. A young lass stepped out of the shadows, followed by a dog demon.

Kikyo's bow and arrow dropped to the ground as soon as she saw Inuyasha's face. "Inuyasha…"

"Kikyo!" he cried, brandishing the Tetsusaiga.

Kagome watched them gloomily, feeling awfully jealous.

"Little brothers can be such pests!" Sesshomaru hissed. He quickly grabbed Kikyo, and held the Tokijin to her throat. "Come one step closer and I'll slice this woman's head off."

"What the hell do you want with her?" Inuyasha shouted, fiery blood raging through him.

"What business is that of yours?" Sesshomaru said calmly. Kikyo stood perfectly still in his grasp, making no effort to escape. Her eyes were glued to Inuyasha's, and she did not avert them.

Inuyasha was fuming with hatred for his brother, and he knew that there was only one way to solve this. His eyes began to turn dark red as he made the transformation to full demon.

"No! Inuyasha, you can't!" Kagome cried, realizing what was about to happen. But there was nothing she could do. The hanyou would become a killing machine, and would stop for nobody, including her.

"Inuyasha…." Kikyo spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Don't do it. Is my life worth the deaths of all your friends?"

At first it seemed as though even Kikyo's voice could not reach him, until his face lightened and his eyes returned to their normal color. Before Inuyasha could act, Sesshomaru summoned a cloud and took off, taking Kikyo with him.

"You won't get away over my dead body!" Inuyasha barked, springing into the air after them. He managed to grab Sesshomaru's leg and hang on. Sesshomaru dug his claws deep into the flesh of Inuyasha's arm, immediately spurting blood everywhere. Inuyasha's grip slipped, and he plummeted a great distance to the ground. Kagome ran over to where he had fallen and knelt by his side. Her eyes began to swell with tears; not only because of her jealousy, but also from seeing Inuyasha in such a state. He scrambled to his feet and tried to chase after the flying cloud, his hand throbbing with pain.

"Inuyasha, you're wounded! Come back!" Kagome shouted worriedly, following.

But Sesshomaru had already gotten away with Kikyo. They were just a speck in the distance. Inuyasha slammed his fist into a tree, leaving a big red stain on the trunk.

"SON OF A BITCH!" he yelled, losing his temper.

Kagome came up behind him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He nudged it off roughly and walked away, heading to who-knows-where. Kagome watched him leave, a salty tear running down her cheek. She looked down at her hand, which was smeared with Inuyasha's blood. _I see it now _she thought. _Kikyo followed you to her death, and now you'll do the same for her. There's no way I can compete with that._ Kagome turned around reluctantly, and trudged away in the opposite direction.

Sesshomaru looked down at the woman in his arms. She hadn't struggled or uttered a single word since he had taken her hostage. Kikyo just lay limp and allowed herself to be carried away. The only sound that could be heard was the whistling of the wind.

"Where are you taking me?" Kikyo said finally, and Sesshomaru felt his heart beat slightly faster.

"You will know soon enough" he responded. Sesshomaru knew he couldn't kill this priestess, so bringing her to Naraku was the only thing left to do. Why was such a simple task so difficult for him? Sesshomaru stared at the approaching mountain range. Naraku's temple was just beyond it. Kikyo's fate would soon be decided.


	4. A Priestess and Youkai Lord

**Chapter 4**

Sesshomaru landed gracefully on the other side of the mountains, and the cloud on which he had been flying vanished immediately. Naraku's aura was apparent before Sesshomaru even knew it was there; the air became dry and stale, and a foul scent leaked out into the night air. Even Kikyo felt it, for she was clinging to Sesshomaru's robes.

"You're… bringing me to _him_?" Kikyo stammered.

Sesshomaru kept quiet; he did not wish to answer her, afraid of changing his mind and leaving Rin to rot with Naraku….he couldn't do that to her. Not after the warmth that Rin had left in his heart….

"I do not have any wish to see that loathsome half-breed" Kikyo stated bluntly. "Now put me down!"

Sesshomaru ignored her and continued on; he found that being with Kikyo allowed him to pass through the miasma effortlessly. There stood the temple, looming before them, casting a menacing shadow upon them both. The familiar sight silenced Kikyo, and Sesshomaru smirked.

"So you've been here before, have you?" he said quietly. Kikyo did not respond.

Sesshomaru climbed fearlessly up the stone steps and slid open the door. It was dark and quiet inside, without a single hint of life. _Where's Naraku?_ He thought, heading down the corridor to the right. Something caught Sesshomaru's eye, and he turned to see what it was. A human skeleton was dangling from the ceiling, looking old and rotten. Dead bodies continued to pop up as they traveled through a maze of hallways, and still Naraku was nowhere to be found. Sesshomaru was getting more irritated by the minute.

"You must know where he is" Sesshomaru said to Kikyo. But before she could answer, a figure stepped out of the shadows. There stood Kagura, wearing the most malicious expression as she set eyes upon them. Sesshomaru's eyebrows narrowed.

"You're that witch!" Kikyo exclaimed.

Kagura grinned. "Yes I am, as a matter of fact. And what have we here? My my….a priestess and youkai lord!"

"Out of the way Kagura" growled Sesshomaru. "Or I'll sweep the floor with you."

"Temper, temper! I'm just curious as to why Kikyo is not dead? Wasn't it Naraku's order to kill her?"

Sesshomaru stared in surprise. "How did you know?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I work for Naraku. I know everything" Kagura said coldly. Kikyo glared at her furiously.

"Where is he?" Sesshomaru demanded.

"It doesn't matter, since he is currently in no state to see you" said Kagura. "But I have that brat of a child here. The one you wish to save."

Kagura pulled a reluctant Rin out of the darkness and shoved her in front of Sesshomaru. She looked more ragged and tired then ever as she dropped down on her hands and knees to bow. She got up quickly and hid behind Kagura once more. Kikyo had a look of shock; Sesshomaru was staring intently at what he could see of Rin.

"She fears you" Kagura sneered.

Sesshomaru smirked. "Yes, but she is revived."

"She may be in good health, but you haven't kept your side of the bargain" Kagura snapped.

Kikyo saw a faint light glowing from Rin, and she suddenly realized what Naraku had done. "That foul little….he contaminated the poor girl with a Shikon shard!" she gasped.

Sesshomaru's expression turned icy cold. Kagura smiled sheepishly and started backing up.

"I forgot…you can detect the shards too. Well that's that!" Kagura grabbed Rin and made a run for it. They turned the corner and disappeared just as suddenly as they had come.

"You…you were going to sacrifice me to save that child?" Kikyo asked softly. Sesshomaru let her go and she collapsed on the floor.

"There is no point anymore. Rin is already poisoned with a shard, and is in complete control of Naraku. Whether I kill you or not won't make a difference."

Sesshomaru turned on his heel and headed back the way he came, despite the searing pain in his chest. Kikyo scrambled to her feet and blocked his path.

"Are you just going to abandon her?"

"What do you expect me to do?" Sesshomaru shot back. "Naraku has once again tricked me into doing his dirty deeds with no reward. I will see to it that I keep to myself from now on. I'm afraid that Rin was a mistake to bring along."

Kikyo was fuming now. Even though she hated Sesshomaru, she had a soft spot for children and couldn't let this happen. Especially since Naraku was the one pulling the strings behind everything. "You love her" she said.

Sesshomaru's heart skipped a beat and he glared at Kikyo. "I…what?"

"You love her like a little sister, and don't try to deny it!"

"Don't be stupid. She's the reason I'm in this mess. And demons don't 'love'."

"You know, I never thought you'd stoop to Naraku's level. But now you are just like him; unable to admit that part of you loves someone. Onigumo wanted me to be his woman, so he fed his soul to demons in order to gain a body. Instead of a normal body, Naraku was born. He is a stubborn man, and refuses to believe that Onigumo's heart still lives inside of him. Until he becomes a full demon and rids himself of that heart, he cannot hurt me."

Sesshomaru listened to Kikyo's story, knowing yet not wanting it to be true. _Me? Love? Is that what I've been feeling for Rin? For Kikyo? Impossible._ And though his mind was full of doubts, his heart was living proof that she was right. Sesshomaru wanted to leave his emotions behind at the temple and get on with his life, but his feet were rooted to the spot. There was a chance that Rin could be saved. If Sesshomaru got to her soon enough, before the shard's deadly poisons were able to spread…

"There is but one difference between you and Naraku, Lord Sesshomaru" Kikyo continued, interrupting his thoughts. "You are not a fool. I am only a body made of earth and bones, but Rin is a girl just beginning her life. You chose to hunt me down to save her, and only a noble demon would go through that trouble."

A warm feeling swept over Sesshomaru at these words, but he ignored it. "Save your breath, woman. I don't know what kind of nonsense you're spouting, but it sure isn't worth my time." When all hope disappeared from Kikyo's face, Sesshomaru added hastily, "…time I could be using to find Rin."

_He's becoming more and more sympathetic_ Kikyo thought. _Am I melting his heart the way Kagome did for Inuyasha? Has Sesshomaru never fallen in love? If only he knew what it was like…_


	5. Love and Demons

**Chapter 5**

All light had vanished outside, and the temple was dim with only candles that had lighted themselves in the hallways. Sesshomaru and Kikyo stood in silence as the darkness settled in. _Couldn't do it now, could you Lord Sesshomaru_ said an eerie voice in Sesshomaru's head. Startled, he whipped around, expecting to see someone.

"Who's there?" he called, his voice echoing.

Kikyo glanced at him curiously, and followed his gaze down the corridor.

_No idiot. In your head _came the voice.

_This is Naraku, I presume _Sesshomaru thought back.

_Yes, if you must know. I see that you have failed to bring the priestess back dead_ said Naraku, sounding disappointed. _Lord Sesshomaru, must you always make things so difficult? _

_If I had known that your remedy for the wounded was Shikon shards, I wouldn't even be here _thought Sesshomaru.

"What's going on?" Kikyo asked, but got no answer in return.

_Why does it matter? As long as she is alive and moving…_

Sesshomaru interrupted him. _It would be more suitable if we talked man to man. Where are you hiding?_

_Below you…_At these words, a trap door opened under Sesshomaru's feet and he fell in, followed by Kikyo. They landed with a thump in a secret underground room of the temple that resembled a dungeon. A light that seemed to be coming out of nowhere illuminated their faces and the floor in front of them. Kikyo gasped. A mess of demon bodies dripping with clear liquid lay sprawled out one on top of another. A horrible stench filled the room, and Kikyo covered her nose with a sleeve of her kimono.

"Kikyo…long time no see" said Naraku.

Sesshomaru traced his voice to the source; Naraku's disembodied head was hanging by the hair from a spiky demon arm that rose above the rest. Kikyo had a look of thorough disgust.

"You look hideous" she said with an edge to her voice. "How can such a pathetic excuse for a human being live in this world? You are nothing more than a dirty little half-breed after all."

"I could say the same for you, Kikyo" Naraku replied calmly. "You, made of earth and bones, wrapped in the souls of the dead."

Kikyo mumbled incoherently and looked away. Naraku drew his attention to Sesshomaru.

"Did you think you could just stroll in here with her and free yourself from all your problems?" Naraku questioned. "Because your problems are far from over, since you have chosen to keep Kikyo alive."

"Is that so?" Sesshomaru said coldly.

"Don't forget our deal, Lord Sesshomaru. I would revive Rin only if you killed the priestess."

"You didn't revive her, you poisoned her!" Kikyo retorted.

A long, gnarly demon arm shot out from the pile and wrapped around Kikyo's waist, pulling her towards Naraku's dismembered head. They came face-to-face, and Kikyo immediately turned away; she couldn't bear to look at his grotesque features.

"Care to repeat that?" he whispered.

"Care to release me?" she replied thickly.

A twisted smile spread across Naraku's lips. "You must really trust Onigumo's heart to be so fearless around me. But don't get too cozy with him; I will make sure to eradicate every trace of his heart once the Shikon jewel is in my possession."

Naraku loosened his grip on Kikyo and she dropped to the floor. Kikyo stood up hastily and wiped a drop of clear, liquidy substance from her cheek.

"You will never…" Kikyo began, but then there was a thumping sound and the wall burst apart, sending splinters everywhere. Naraku's eyes narrowed, and Kikyo stared as Inuyasha and Kagome rushed in through the rubble and pieces of wood.

"Inuyasha…" said Kikyo hesitantly, relieved yet frightened at the same time. She was scared for his safety; scared that he would do something stupid in an attempt to save her….

"How did you penetrate my mystic shield?" Naraku asked irritably.

Inuyasha finally noticed Naraku, and he raised an eyebrow. "Naraku?"

"Oh so you do recognize me Inuyasha" Naraku responded in an amused tone. "I may look hideous, as Kikyo would put it, but at least I can choose the days I transform on my own free will. Unlike you, who can't control it." He smirked as he said the last few words.

"Your mouth must be getting tired from talking so much. Why don't I silence it for you!" Inuyasha snarled, leaping into the air with the Tetsusaiga in hand.

Naraku's expression stayed completely calm as he reached out with the same demon arm that had grabbed Kikyo and slammed Inuyasha into a wall. "You never get it, do you?" he said, throwing Inuyasha across the room. He smashed through the opposite wall and landed hard on the ground. Blood trickled from his freshly cut wounds, and the Tetsusaiga had flown out of his grasp. _Inuyasha…. why did you come? _Kikyo thought, watching warily as Kagome ran over to his crumpled body and put Tetsusaiga back into his waiting hand. He was about to get up to attack again, but Sesshomaru raised the Tokijin in his direction.

"Don't get involved" Sesshomaru said, and there was complete seriousness in the tone of his voice.

"What…?"

"This is not your battle. I will deal with you later once I am through with Naraku."

"You don't have a say in this! Kikyo is not yours to protect" Inuyasha growled.

Sesshomaru's mouth tightened into a thin line. _What am I talking about? I don't care what happens to this priestess….do I?_

Kikyo watched the brothers silently. _Kikyo is not yours to protect_. She felt comforted by Inuyasha's loyalty to her. He was staring straight at her, with a look of innocence and devotion in his eyes. Suddenly, the piles of demon flesh started to move, and then flew towards Naraku's head, forming a human body under it. When he had completely transformed back, he pulled a baboon fur around himself and grinned. "Ah, much better."

Kagura stepped out of the shadows behind Naraku and stood next to him. "You sent for me?" she whispered.

"Is the little girl with you?"

Kagura pushed Rin out in front of her to answer the question.

"Good. Lord Sesshomaru is in for a special surprise."


	6. A Wind Witch's Favor

**Chapter 6**

"Don't try to stop me brother" Inuyasha said fiercely. "This may be your battle, but I have every right to fight for Kikyo's cause."

But Sesshomaru had stopped listening to him. He was staring straight at Kagura and Naraku, who were whispering to each other. Sesshomaru could've sworn that he saw Rin there for a moment, but he didn't have time to ponder this because Naraku had stopped talking. He was grinning devilishly, and Kagura looked more tense than usual.

"You have Rin, don't you?" Sesshomaru said.

"What a smart man the youkai lord is" Naraku said, his voice brimming with malice. With a wave of his hand, Kagura brought forth the bruised, frail little girl. "I was going to just simply hand her over, but you didn't follow through with the plan. So…I thought up an even better deal. A surprise even."

Sesshomaru listened impatiently, his heart burning at the sight of Rin all beaten up, her soot covered face drained of all hope.

"Kill the priestess, or I will remove the shard from Rin and she will die in a matter of seconds" Naraku said, putting extra emphasis on the word 'die.'

Sesshomaru's mind went blank. Kikyo found herself unable to take her eyes off of Rin, who now had big teardrops streaming down her cheeks. _So little…so innocent…_

"Kill me" Kikyo said firmly.

"No!" Inuyasha yelled, running towards her. But an invisible shield sent him flying back to where he started. Naraku smirked.

"I shouldn't be alive anyway" said Kikyo. "She's worth much more than I will ever be."

"How can you say that?" Inuyasha cried, pulling himself up with the help of the Tetsusaiga.

"Inuyasha…please don't save me. I could never continue to live knowing that my life was spared by the death of a child" Kikyo continued. "Besides, I want you to continue living, healthily and happily."

"I could never be happy without you" said Inuyasha, and Kagome turned away.

Tears threatened to fall from Kikyo's eyes, but she blinked them back. Sesshomaru drew the Tokijin, and there was a sharp intake of breath all around the room. Kikyo stared up into Sesshomaru's face. "Demons can love, you know. I see it in your eyes, just like your brother…"

"Don't say the word 'love' to me ever again" Sesshomaru snarled, lifting the sword enen higher. Kikyo bent her head down and waited for the blow that would take her life away again…destroy the construct of earth and bones that had been her body since she was ressurected…her second and last chance to leave this earth with Inuyasha...

As the Tokijin came crashing down, Inuyasha broke through the shield and jumped in front of Kikyo. The sword sliced through flesh and robe, splashing blood in every direction. Inuyasha felt as though his body was going to split in half as he slumped to the floor, surrounded by a pool of red. Kagome screamed, and Sesshomaru looked down at his half brother.

"Don't make this harder for me than it already is" he said grimly.

Kikyo stared blankly at the body by her feet. _Once you said my life is yours. Then your life is mine. _ Inuyasha's words echoed in Kikyo's empty mind.

"Inuyasha…"

"This is taking too long" Naraku snapped. "At this rate, everyone will be dead throwing themselves in front of Kikyo. You could end it all, Lord Sesshomaru, with just one stroke."

Sesshomaru once again lifted the Tokijin, but he did so with a heavy heart. _You love her _his mind was shouting._ Just give in to your feelings and admit that you love her! _

Kikyo sat perfectly still, waiting. Naraku held Rin by the shoulders and watched intently. Sesshomaru tried to shake these peculiar thoughts from his head, but the same words continued to chant over and over: _you love her! you love her! you love her…_

Rin watched with bleary, tear stained eyes as the Tokijin fell, missed Kikyo by a mile, and slammed into the floor. _I…I can't _Sesshomaru thought. Kikyo lifted her head and looked up at him. Her eyes were burning with a fiery glare that seemed angry, if anything. Naraku's smile disappeared instantly.

"Well well, what a turnout" he said through gritted teeth, and there was a hint of dissatisfaction in his expression. "I guess you never cared for the child, Lord Sesshomaru." Naraku plunged a hand into the flesh of Rin's back, and her eyes turned a hazy grey. She didn't make a single effort to struggle or cry out as a glittering shard was removed from her body, and she immediately turned cold and went limp. Naraku released her lifeless body from his grip and she keeled over at his feet. "It was your decision" he said plainly. "This is your doing."

Kikyo's hatred seemed to have grown, and she stood up with her bow at hand. "I've had enough" she said. Kikyo strung an arrow across the bow and pointed it towards Naraku. "You've managed to make my resurrected life a living hell. I will never forgive you." Then the loaded weapon swung around unexpectedly, the pointed edge aiming straight at Sesshomaru's chest. "And you are a cruel man. Forgive me for ever thinking you weren't a fool. I was wrong to believe demons had the heart to love."

Kikyo's words stung Sesshomaru just as painfully as the thought of Rin's death. He felt angry with himself, Naraku, and everyone else…

"This is for Inuyasha and Rin, the two loved ones you managed to kill in a single night!" Kikyo cried, releasing the arrow. Sesshomaru caught it in mid-air and it disintegrated. Kikyo had a look of shock; no one had ever destroyed her arrow before.

"I guess I underestimated your power" said Naraku, impressed. "Why is it you held back your strength when it came time to kill Kikyo?"

Sesshomaru examined the deep gash in his palm where the arrow had pierced him. Though it pulsated harshly, he kept a straight face. He bent down, picked up the Tokijin, and sliced off Naraku's head in one swift movement. It slid off his neck and landed with a splat on the floor. Dark red demon blood flowed from the severed neck like a fountain. The head let out a sickening laugh. It was then that Kagura, who had been standing in a corner watching the whole thing, decided to intervene. She was fiddling with something behind her back as she approached the scene. Kikyo clenched her jaw at the sight of the wind witch.

"This does not involve you" Sesshomaru snapped.

Once Kagura was within arm's distance of the youkai lord, she pulled the mysterious object out from behind her. There it was, the Tenseiga, shining brightly in contrast to the dimly lit room.

"I wanted to prove myself to you" Kagura sighed.

"What is this treachery?" Naraku exclaimed, enraged. "You have strayed far from me once before, Kagura, but now you are stretching far beyond your limits." A live, pumping heart emerged from the hand on Naraku's body, and he squeezed it…hard. Kagura faltered, then dropped to her hands and knees, the Tenseiga clattering next to her.

"Doesn't feel good now, does it?" Naraku said gleefully.

Sesshomaru stared at the sword. It was beckoning to him…yearning to be held…and used...


	7. Rin Revived

**Note: I've been getting a lot of people saying that Sesshomaru is OOC, and I realize that. But it's too late for me to change him because I already developed his character that way…sorry! You'll just have to live with it I guess.**

**Chapter 7**

Kagura writhed on the floor, enduring the sharp pains of her heart being crushed in Naraku's palm.

"Naraku…you…son of a…" Kagura snarled in between gasps for breath.

Naraku's head grinned hideously, and then flew into the air to attach itself to the body once more. Heart still in hand, he gave it a final squeeze and sucked it back in, then took Kagura's motionless body into himself.

"Traitor. Ever since she was born from me I questioned her liability" said Naraku, sucking in the last of Kagura's hair. "Anyone else?" he asked, and his eyes met Kikyo's.

"Do what you want with me" Kikyo said, now sitting beside Inuyasha's body and running her fingers through his sleek white hair.

Sesshomaru's heart prickled with jealousy at the sight. _Why does she hang around that pathetic brother of mine? What does he have that I'm missing?_

"So Kikyo, you have given up all hope of living now that your lover is dead, eh?" Naraku sneered. He stepped closer to her, smiling widely.

Kikyo remained silent and continued to stroke Inuyasha's hair, despite Naraku's fierce glare upon her. Naraku was right. She had no will to live; the one thing she had hung around for all this time was gone.

Sesshomaru realized his chance now that Naraku was distracted, and he dove down for the Tenseiga. The sword's handle flew straight into his grasp, almost as though there were some magnetic force controlling it. Now reunited with his long lost weapon, Sesshomaru felt as though a missing part of himself had been returned.

"Naraku, your little game is getting quite tiresome" said Sesshomaru.

Naraku turned his full attention on the youkai lord, grinning most maliciously. "You think so? But that was only the beginning of my fun."

"Ha! This is probably the most dull encounter I've ever faced. You disappoint me, Naraku. I guess you are just a sad patchwork of demon flesh after all" Sesshomaru sneered.

All of a sudden, before Naraku could make a vicious come-back, there was a loud crack of thunder and the whole temple shook. Wood from the walls splintered, and some floorboards snapped. Kikyo looked up just in time to see the floor above them fly off into the sky, since the roof had also disappeared.

"What?" Naraku exclaimed in shock. "But…my miasma…"

Up above them was a huge and menacing looking vortex, colored a deep shade of violet. Deep in it's core was a massive black hole, devouring everything that got sucked up into it. Sesshomaru braced himself to be blown away, but oddly enough, nothing happened. However, powerful winds ripped at Naraku's body, pulling off his baboon fur and exposing his bare skin. He latched himself to ground with his forever extending demon arms in an attempt to stay earthbound. Sesshomaru, Kikyo, Rin and Kagome (who had been hiding in the corner sobbing) watched from the sidelines as Naraku fought against the ever growing storm. As his demon strength began to weaken and he realized that there was no escape, he let go with one arm and wrapped it around Kikyo. Naraku was then ripped from the ground, and Kikyo went with him. Kikyo's expression was blank, as though she were in a trance. Nothing mattered to her anymore; she felt so depressed and alone. The swirling mass in the sky came closer and closer, and the winds began to blow with more ferocity. At first it seemed as though Kikyo was going to let herself be swept away without a fight, but then her mind suddenly switched on and her eyes snapped down to see the illuminated face of a beautiful, long-haired man…

_Oh my god! What am I thinking? I can't die like this! _Kikyo cried in her mind. Luckily she had never let go of her bow and arrow, which was still firmly in her grasp. Naraku's arms tightened around her.

"Come with me to hell" he cackled hysterically in a voice that sounded very unlike himself.

Kikyo's eyes burned furiously. "I didn't get resurrected to die with you! Go to hell alone you bastard!"

Down below, Sesshomaru had drawn his Tokijin and was ready to attack when suddenly there was a flash of bright light, then a bow and arrow dropped to the ground, followed by a limp, slender body. Naraku let out a final roar of despair before being completely sucked up by the vortex. The strong demon aura that had surrounded them only moments earlier immediately disintegrated, and the winds ceased. The enormous vortex swirled in a mélange of colors, then disappeared almost as swiftly as it had come. The darkened skies slowly lightened, and rays of sunshine peeked through the parting clouds. Sesshomaru scanned the area, noting that the storm had wiped out almost the entire temple and everything within a 5 mile radius. Kikyo and Rin's bodies lay in crumpled heaps, coincidentally side by side. Kagome was nowhere to be seen. Sesshomaru strode over, slung Rin over one shoulder and Kikyo over the other. Then, without the slightest expression of emotion, he summoned a floating cloud and took off, leaving behind the devastation that had once been Naraku's temple.

………………………………..

Rin's lifeless body lay sprawled out in the soft grass, which blew delicately in the warm breeze. Sesshomaru stood over her, casting a tall shadow on the ground.

_I see them. The creatures of the underworld _he thought, unsheathing his blade of revival. With one stroke, he sliced the creatures in half, and they immediately dispersed. Rin's eyes blinked open, and she sat up in a flash.

"Wow" she said, then turned to see Sesshomaru standing there. "Oh, Lord Sesshomaru!"

Rin sauntered cheerfully beside him, as though nothing had happened. Sesshomaru knew that the shikon shard had affected her memory. He turned away from her and stared out at the lush fields that surrounded them from the hilltop. _Something doesn't feel right_ he thought. _That vortex…it just suddenly appeared, as if its sole purpose was to devour Naraku. Almost as if it had a mind of its own…_

Sesshomaru's contemplations were unexpectedly interrupted by the sight of a priestess standing below, her tattered kimono hanging off her body and the souls of the dead surrounding her. Sesshomaru stared at the back of her head, for some odd reason yearning for her to turn around so he could set eyes upon her pure and delicate face. Ever since he met her, he had been playing with his emotions. Every look from her gave him a new sensation to deal with, causing him to feel overwhelmed. He couldn't be in love…could the great Sesshomaru fall for a woman? And a mortal at that!

Rin followed Sesshomaru's gaze and noticed Kikyo. "Lord Sesshomaru, who is that lady down there?" she asked with utmost curiosity.

Sesshomaru hesitated for a moment before responding. "Why don't you find out for yourself."

Rin descended the hill eagerly and skipped towards Kikyo. _Why is she so…happy?_ Sesshomaru wondered, watching her approach the priestess.

"Um…hey there! I'm Rin. What's your name? Who are you? How do you know Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked all at once, forgetting her manners.

Kikyo turned to see who was speaking to her and gasped when she saw Rin. "You're…you're alive?" she said incredulously.

"I don't remember ever dying" Rin said confusedly, concentrating hard on trying to remember a time when she died.

"I don't…understand" Kikyo murmured softly.

"Oh yeah! I was attacked by wolves. Is that what you mean?" Rin suddenly exploded, recalling her first near-death experience.

"No…that's not…"

"Yeah, it was pretty scary. But then Lord Sesshomaru came and revived me with his Tenseiga! Now we travel everywhere together. Like family" Rin continued chattily. "Hmm…I wonder what happened to Lord Jaken? Maybe he went to find something to eat. He's always stuffing his face."

Sesshomaru snorted. _Like family? This girl misunderstands our relationship._

"You don't remember anything about Naraku's temple, do you Rin?" Kikyo asked.

"Naraku? Oh, he's a bad dude. That's what Sesshomaru says."

"I guess not." Kikyo heaved a sigh and sat down in the grass. "So you and Sesshomaru get along pretty well then, huh?"

"Yup. He could be like, my wise old grandpa."

_Hey! I'm not that god damn old! _Sesshomaru swore in his head.

A smile danced across Kikyo's lips at Rin's response. _She's so loyal to him...there must be more to this youkai lord than meets the eye._

………………………………….

Meanwhile back at the ruins of Naraku's castle, Inuyasha's body still lay lifeless and cold and in the same place he had fallen. But there was something else…a lump of flesh with the mark of a spider on it also remained, and it started to move. It crawled on the ground until reaching Inuyasha, then slid into his robes and consumed him…


	8. Return of the Dead

**Chapter 8**

"You look like a princess" Rin told Kikyo, sitting down beside her.

Kikyo chuckled softly. "Well not quite. Priestess is more like it."

"Priestess? Wow. That's so cool! I wanna be one when I get older."

_No you don't_ Kikyo thought, staring blankly at the horizon. _Not after you've been through what I have. You have too much responsibility…it feels like the burdens of the world are all piled on your back…everything that goes wrong you feel is your own fault…you don't want that. Inuyasha always managed to make me feel guilty. Maybe my heart's desire doesn't truly lie with Inuyasha…_

"Gee, was it something I said?" Rin asked after a long, awkward silence.

Kikyo suddenly snapped back into attention. Ever since Inuyasha's death, she began having strong feelings for a certain person…_but why?_

"Hi Lord Sesshomaru! Did you come to join us?" Rin said.

Kikyo whirled around, taken by surprise by Sesshomaru's presence. He stood at full height behind them, looking very majestic with his long silky hair flowing like a river down his back. His icy cool eyes met Kikyo's, sending a chill down her spine. There was just something about Sesshomaru that took her breath away, but she just couldn't place it…

"You can leave" Sesshomaru said, but there was no real desire in his voice.

Kikyo felt a huge tug on her heart, like someone was trying to tear it out. But she ignored it. "I…well…"

"I'd rather not be bothered with another mortal presence. You are no longer a prisoner to me."

"No!" Rin cried out, clinging to Kikyo like there was no tomorrow. Her face was set in one of those stubborn I-won't-stop-until-I-get-my-way expressions. "I like her! She's nice."

Kikyo couldn't help but smile at the little girl's determination. _Even after her life was sacrificed for mine, she still stands by me _she thought. _But then again, she doesn't remember that._

"If you're still grieving about Inuyasha, I'll have you know that I was going to kill him anyway" Sesshomaru added apathetically.

"Priestesses don't grieve relentlessly over lost souls" Kikyo responded matter-o-factly. She then stood up and faced the youkai lord. "Thank you for your kindness. I shall be going now."

After a hasty goodbye, Kikyo turned and made to leave. But she couldn't. She was rooted to the spot. Kikyo started to think that maybe her feelings were holding her back until she looked down and saw Rin wrapped around her legs. _Silly girl _she thought.

"I must go" Kikyo said calmly. "I've already overstayed my welcome."

Rin only held on tighter. "You can't leave! What place are you going to that's better than here?"

Rin's question hit Kikyo with a pang. _I have no idea where I'm going _she thought all of a sudden. _Naraku is gone…Inuyasha is dead…what's my point in life?_

Kikyo suddenly realized that she was alone in the world…what was the point of existing? Then a memory flashed through her mind…

………………………………………….

She was standing in a field of sunflowers as far as the eye could see. The sun was shining brightly in the cloudless sky, and it world seemed at peace. Beside her stood a young girl wearing a yellow yukata and a cloth over her left eye.

"I wish every day could be as serene and tranquil as today" the girl sighed.

"You and me both, little sister" Kikyo responded, bending down to pick a flower. She stared at its bright yellow petals and slid her fingers along the slender stem.

"Kikyo, do you think mom and dad would be proud of us up in heaven?" Kaede asked softly.

"For what?"

"I don't know…for everything. For taking care of ourselves without them around. Would they?"

Kikyo looked up at the forever extending sky, where the souls of her parents peacefully rested and watched over them. "I'm sure they would, Kaede" she responded. "I'm sure they would…"

All of a sudden the field of sunflowers melted away, and darkness swept through the memory. There was a flash of light, a slashing of sharp claws, blood splattering, and a gleaming spherical object was taken away.

"Curse you!" came Kikyo's voice.

Hideous laughter rang through Kikyo's mind…all she could feel was a deep, fiery hatred for this being…the one that had ripped the shikon jewel from her and contaminated it...Inuyasha_…but no, it was Naraku…_

……………………………………………………

"Kikyo? Kikyo!"

Rin's worried voice broke into Kikyo's mind and the memory instantly faded away.

"I…I'm going to see my sister" Kikyo stated blankly. She pulled herself out of Rin's grasp and began walking off.

Sesshomaru watched her leave, forcing the knot in his stomach away. Rin, however, didn't bother hiding her despair. Tears welled up in her eyes and slowly dripped down her cheeks. Even though she only knew Kikyo for a couple hours, seeing such a sorrowful priestess go off alone reminded Rin of herself after her family was killed by wolves…she was so lonely and in need of a friend…

_Kaede…I need to talk to you _Kikyo thought after a couple minutes of trudging along the grassy hills. She took a quick look back and saw that Sesshomaru and Rin had become tiny black specks in the distance. _It's so quiet and lonely out here…_

Without warning, something red flashed in front of Kikyo's eyes, followed by a large blade. Startled, Kikyo tripped backwards and fell to the ground. As soon as she looked up to see what it was, she gasped…there stood Inuyasha, not a scratch on his body, his long white hair spotless, and the Tetsusaiga slung over his shoulder. Pasted on his face was an evil grin.

"Surprised to see me Kikyo?" he sneered.

Kikyo was at a loss for words. She stared hard at Inuyasha, incredulous. Yet something just didn't seem right. Why was she feeling a demonic aura coming off of him?

"I have been waiting for this moment my entire life" he said, pulling Kikyo to her feet. He gazed into her eyes dreamily and put a hand to her face, drawing her closer to him. "You've grown so beautiful…"

Kikyo stared at Inuyasha in shock. _What is he doing? This is so unlike him!_

"Finally…I'm free to be with the love of my life…" He pulled Kikyo into him until their lips were inches apart. "Kiss me…"

Kikyo felt a familiar fiery anger deep within her, and she forcefully shoved him away. "Who the hell are you?" Kikyo shouted at Inuyasha, who looked both frustrated and surprised.

"Kikyo, don't resist me after the trouble I've gone through to get here" he growled dangerously.

"You're a bloody demon, aren't you? Curse you!"

The hanyou grabbed Kikyo's wrists and held her tightly so she couldn't squirm. "Don't you dare call me that" he hissed.

"How could you? Infest Inuyasha's body…" Kikyo swore under her breath. "So what kind of monster are you?"

"Monster you say? Even after the kindness you bestowed upon me in the cave…"


	9. A Demonic Soul

**Chapter 9**

"Onigumo…" Kikyo gasped, staring into Inuyasha's face.

"That's right. Now you remember who I am, don't you?" he sneered, forcing her to stare straight into his eyes.

"But…how is that possible? You were dead…"

"As were you, my dear Kikyo. But we both managed to come back among the living now, didn't we?" Onigumo paused to gently touch Kikyo's face. She squirmed in his grasp, but he easily overpowered her. "Damn, you're cute. What a shame…if it weren't for that loathsome half-breed whose body I was unfortunately forced to consume, we could have been lovers."

"You wanted that?" Kikyo said, not wanting to believe that this horny demon in her lover's body was the same poor, bandaged man she had helped in the cave.

"No, I wanted more than that. You were the first woman I had ever felt so much passion for. I wanted you so bad that I sold my body to demons…they chewed at my flesh and tore me apart. Little did I know that a new, more powerful demon would form…"

"Naraku" Kikyo whispered under her breath.

"…and overpower me. That was the biggest mistake of my life, and I'll never forgive myself. For 50 years I lived inside that demon, never to see sunshine or breathe fresh air. It wasn't until that mighty vortex came along that I was completely released from him. But that is all in the past. Now I have found you, and I shall never let you go."

Kikyo's wrists were beginning to hurt, but she made no expression to let on that she was in pain. Onigumo, now swept over with a hunger for passion, pulled Kikyo into him and put his mouth over hers.

"Mmmf!" Kikyo cried out, though her voice was muffled. She attempted to struggle, but his body was pressed up so tightly against hers that she could barely move. His lips were hot, almost burning. Kikyo felt completely helpless against him. All of a sudden she felt a sharp stab of pain, and realized that Inuyasha's fangs were digging into her lips. Dark red blood dripped down Kikyo's chin and stained her white kimono. Onigumo didn't seem to notice and continued, eventually knocking the priestess backwards onto the ground. He lay on top of her, letting out all the passion he had kept bottled up inside him for so long. Kikyo's struggling ceased. The sun was suddenly blocked out, and a long dark shadow cast itself over the scene. Onigumo looked up in surprise, Kikyo's blood all over his mouth.

Sesshomaru looked from Kikyo's limp body to Onigumo. "Little brother…it's a shame you aren't dead. I thought I was through dealing with you."

Onigumo glared at the youkai. "Who are you calling little brother?" he spat, forgetting that he was in Inuyasha's skin.

"So true" Sesshomaru said, examining his claws. "It would be easier to tear you apart pretending we aren't related." With that he slashed at Onigumo, who jumped out of the way just in time.

"Oh I see what's going on here" said Onigumo, picking up the Tetsusaiga and preparing to attack. "You're after Kikyo too, aren't you!"

"On the contrary…" Sesshomaru began, easily dodging Onigumo's attempt to use the Tetsusaiga. "…I'm more interested in seeing you die."

As the two demons fought viciously, Rin ran to Kikyo's side and held her hand, tears clouding her eyes. "You'll be okay" she sobbed. "Sesshomaru is here now. He'll take care of that evil man."

"What I don't understand is that you sacrifice your life for that woman, then come back to life and suck her blood? Are you sure everything is working correctly in that hollow shell of a head you have?" Sesshomaru asked with a smirk.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Onigumo shouted angrily.

_Hmm…there's something strange about him. He's not the Inuyasha I remember _Sesshomaru thought. He had a hunch, however, and his hunches were almost always right. Sesshomaru thrust his hand into Onigumo's neck and lifted him off the ground. With his free hand, he grabbed Inuyasha's haori and ripped it off Onigumo's body, revealing the all familiar spider mark spread across his back. _I thought so_.

"So Naraku, you think you're so clever by infesting Inuyasha's body, eh?"

Onigumo scowled. "How dare you call me by that name."

"Oh, so what would you prefer? Scumbag?" Sesshomaru replied coldly, tightening his grip around Onigumo's neck. "You know, your little tricks are getting quite old."

Onigumo's eyes glittered with rage. _I'll show him_ he thought furiously. But as he attempted to stretch out one of his demonic arms, he realized that Inuyasha's skin was restricting him. All his powers were useless in this body!

"Ha! You are such a weakling. This is a waste of my time. I'll just finish you off here and now" Sesshomaru said.

Just then, Kikyo regained consciousness. She sat up in a flash, her lips still throbbing with pain. She wiped away the blood with a sleeve of her kimono and looked up to see Sesshomaru standing with his back to her, the wind blowing waves in his long silvery hair. Never did she dream that seeing this man come to her rescue would make her feel so….loved.

"Kikyo! You're okay!" Rin cried happily, throwing herself into Kikyo's arms and hugging her tightly. "I was so scared…" she mumbled into Kikyo's robes.

"I'm sorry I made you worry" Kikyo said softly, stroking Rin's hair.

"What use is it to kill me?" Onigumo asked, trying to cheat death.

"What use is it to keep you alive?" Sesshomaru countered. He then hurled Onigumo into the nearest tree, and he crumpled at its roots.

_I can't move…this hanyou's body is so weak! _Onigumo cursed in his head. _Goddammit!_

Sesshomaru strode over to where Onigumo had fallen and drew the Tokijin. "Say goodbye!" he said, lifting the sword.

"STOP!"

Sesshomaru, taken by surprise, froze in mid-swing. Kikyo came running over, her kimono glistening with blood. She planted herself in front of Onigumo and faced Sesshomaru defiantly.

"You want me….to spare him?" Sesshomaru said in disbelief.

Onigumo was just as shocked, but that only lasted a couple seconds. Soon a smile began to creep onto his face. _She can't resist me._

"You….you can't just kill him" Kikyo said hesitantly.

Sesshomaru stared at her. "Why the hell not?"

_Because she loves me you idiot! _Onigumo thought gleefully.

"Because that's Inuyasha's body!" Kikyo blurted out.

Onigumo's smile immediately faded. Sesshomaru looked down at his brother's limp body and frowned. "Are you serious?"

"Serious…about what?" Kikyo stammered.

"You want to keep a rotting carcass that's contaminated with Naraku's demonic soul?"

Kikyo knelt down to stroke Inuyasha's hair, just like she had done on the night of the vortex. "I want to give him a proper burial" she stated simply.

Onigumo couldn't believe this. He wasn't the object of her affection…Inuyasha still was! He had never felt this enraged in his entire life. With what strength he had left, Onigumo pulled himself to his feet and kicked off the ground into the air, making a speedy escape. "Bwahahaha! You will never get your lover's body back! Never!" he shouted, and his voice became fainter as he flew further and further away.

"You think you can run from me?" Sesshomaru growled, preparing to fly off after him. But he couldn't. He felt a pair of arms around him, holding him down, embracing him…

"Don't go after him anymore. Please" Kikyo said softly.

Sesshomaru could feel the warmth of her body against him, this mortal woman…He shoved her away forcefully, and she fell backwards onto the grass. He then dropped Kikyo's bow and arrows down next to her. "I came to give you these" he said, then turned away.


	10. Destiny Calls

**Chapter 10**

Kikyo stared at the bow and arrows at her feet. Sesshomaru was walking off, leaving her all alone…

"Kikyo!" Rin called, skipping over. "Are you okay?"

Kikyo stood up and brushed the dirt off her robes. "I'm fine" she said through gritted teeth. She then threw her bow over a shoulder and picked up her arrows. "I have to go see my sister" she said.

"Huh?"

"We have…a lot to talk about" Kikyo explained while trying to orient herself in the direction of Kaede's village.

"We'll go with you" Rin insisted.

Kikyo sighed and looked into Rin's innocent eyes. "I'm afraid this is a journey I must make alone."

Rin's expression went from cheerful to pouty in less than a second. "Why?" she whined. "I thought you liked us!"

"I do like you. Both of you" Kikyo replied, glancing at Sesshomaru's receding figure. "But I don't want to so deeply involve you two in my life. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I understand" Rin muttered. She brushed past Kikyo and broke into a run to catch up with Sesshomaru.

Kikyo watched them disappear, suddenly regretting sending them away so hastily. _I have to do this_ she reassured herself._ God knows what would happen if I let my emotions run free with that youkai lord…he's not one to meddle with._

With one last glance over her shoulder, Kikyo marched forward into the face of the blinding sun.

……………………………………..

Rin and Sesshomaru walked side-by-side in silence. Neither one could think of anything to say, or even had anything on their mind for that matter. The wind had died down, hushing the valley like a mute on the strings of a violin. Sesshomaru had no idea where he was headed…now that Inuyasha was dead (sort of) and Naraku gone, he really had no point in life. _You and I are just the same, Priestess Kikyo_ he thought with a smirk. He felt foolish having nothing to do in this vast world of many possibilities. _I won't waste my time_ Sesshomaru resolved. _I must fulfill my life…somehow…_

"Ok, I'm tired of being quiet! I have to know, where are we going?" Rin burst out, her arms tightly crossed over her chest.

Sesshomaru didn't bother answering her. "You ask too many questions."

Rin abruptly stopped walking. "Well aren't you wondering the same thing?"

_Yes. _"Not really."

Rin eyed Sesshomaru suspiciously, but continued walking anyway. Soon they reached the edge of a dense forest, which they entered without hesitation.

"Where's Jaken? I haven't seen him lately" Rin inquired, pushing through branches that blocked her path.

_Oh he got shot in the head with an arrow and died on the spot._

"Well…?" Rin said expectantly.

"Jaken wasn't the brightest creature" Sesshomaru responded lazily, leading the way deeper into the forest.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

But Sesshomaru chose not to answer, leaving Rin to ponder what had happened to her little green friend. He figured it would be better if she didn't find out. The sunlight began to diminish as the treetops closed in on the sky. There was silence again, except for the occasional crack of a branch or chirp of a bird. All of a sudden, a gruff voice broke the silence.

"Nice of you to visit, Lord Sesshomaru."

Startled, Rin whirled in a tight circle, expecting to see someone. But no one was there. Sesshomaru looked up at the nearest tree, knowing exactly who the speaker was.

"Boku-seno…we need to talk" Sesshomaru said, facing the 2,000 year old magnolia. A face materialized on the surface of the tree's bark; the wise, ancient face of Boku-seno.

"Oh, it's the tree monster again" Rin said, relieved that it wasn't some creepy demon coming to eat her.

Boku-seno glanced down at her. "Careful who you call a monster, young one. The scabbards for both Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga were carved from my branches." Then he turned his attention back to Sesshomaru. "I know why you came here. It's that priestess, is it not?"

Sesshomaru hesitated to reply. Just the mention of Kikyo made his heart race uncomfortably. "I've been getting these emotions that I've never felt before…but only when she is around. It's sickening, but they just won't leave me" Sesshomaru reflected.

"Hm…that's very interesting" Boku-seno answered thoughtfully. "Looks to me like you've discovered love."

"Ha! Likely story. Demons don't love" Sesshomaru snapped.

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong" Boku-seno said, giving Sesshomaru a sly look. "You see, fate played out perfectly for you. Kikyo may have fallen for Inuyasha, but he never truly loved her back. Don't you think his death was a little too sudden? When he threw himself in front of your blade, he wasn't thinking. Inuyasha ended his life purposely, hoping that Kikyo would be satisfied and leave the living world once and for all. But what he didn't realize was that what Kikyo really wanted was to die with him, and that he was taking the easy way out. Whether you wish to believe it or not, it was you who truly saved Kikyo's life. What do you think motivated you to save her? You weren't forced to, and it wouldn't have hurt you to leave her there. Think about it."

Sesshomaru stood in silence, contemplating Boku-seno's words.

"You and that priestess were destined for each other. As I recall, this was the same position your father was in when he met your mother. He came to me just as you have now, seeking my advice. I told him something very wise…if only I could remember what it was…" Boku-seno trailed off in thought.

_My father? In the same position as I am? How odd…_Sesshomaru thought.

"I hate to interrupt a manly chat, but I have to go pee pee" Rin said, rather loudly.

Boku-seno chuckled. "You don't need to tell us, young one. Just go."

Rin smiled sheepishly and scampered off.

"Why do you keep that girl-child around, Lord Sesshomaru?" Boku-seno asked curiously, watching Rin disappear out of sight. "She's no benefit to you. If anything she's only more of a burden."

Sesshomaru paused to think. _Why do I keep that rascal around? There's something about her….I just…I can't let her be alone…_


	11. Bare Emotions

**Chapter 11**

"This is it" Kikyo thought aloud, scanning the small village in front of her. Nothing had changed about Kaede's village since the last time she had been there. Tucking her arrows away, Kikyo strode forward, her kimono billowing backwards at her feet. She was immediately greeted by the smell of ash and smoke. As she passed by hut after hut, townsfolk turned their heads to look at her. Kikyo could feel their eyes penetrating her, staring, as though she were a predator in their territory. But as soon as she glanced back, they went back to fixing a roof, or tending to a child. _What happened here to make these people so tense? _Kikyo thought, not wanting to feel like a threat. The town wasn't in ruins, yet she found herself kicking aside a piece of rubble.

"Oneesama? Is that you?"

The familiar voice startled Kikyo, and she looked up to see Kaede, looking older than ever but still in good shape. Her clothes were worn out and dirty, but she didn't seem to care. Kikyo smiled warmly. Being with her sister again was like reuniting with the past, when they used to spend so much time together.

"Come inside! I think you'll find it more comfortable" Kaede offered, holding open the straw curtain that covered the entrance to her home. Kikyo gladly accepted, and ducked into Kaede's hut. There was a small fire burning inside, and lots of firewood was stored along the walls. Kaede motioned for her to sit down, then tended to the tea kettle already heating on the wood stove.

"I suppose you are surprised to see me here" Kikyo said lightly.

"Should I be?" Kaede asked, glancing worriedly over her shoulder.

"No…it's just that…I grieve over the loss of…someone…" Kikyo trailed off as memories of Inuyasha flooded her mind.

Kaede turned off the heat for the tea kettle and shuffled over to where Kikyo sat. "Someone has been killed?" Kaede asked softly.

"Yes…it was Inuyasha." His name escaped her lips in a harsh whisper, and Kikyo bit her lip hard to keep the tears from emerging.

Kaede's expression became sorrowful at the news. She had no idea that Inuyasha's life would come to an end so quickly…

"I don't know what to do or think" Kikyo said. "It only happened a day ago and yet everything has already become a blur of emotions and images and sounds. I hardly remember his death…it all happened so quickly."

Kaede put a hand on Kikyo's shoulder sympathetically. "Inuyasha was a hard one to tame. He had a mind of his own, and when he made a decision there was no persuading him out of it. Did he die protecting you?"

Kikyo only nodded. The sound of ripping flesh and splattering blood was pounding in her ears.

"Was Naraku involved in this?" Kaede inquired, deep in thought.

Just the name caused heated blood to race through Kikyo's veins. "Yes" she managed to answer with gritted teeth. "Naraku killed him…I think…"

_Don't make this harder for me than it already is…_came Sesshomaru's voice, the memory suddenly popping into mind.

"…no, it wasn't! It was Sesshomaru…"

Kaede's eyes widened. "Sesshomaru? You mean Inuyasha's demon brother?"

"Yes, but for some reason I feel no anger for him. Naraku had some twisted plan in mind that caused him to kill his brother. I think it was an accident" Kikyo explained, more to herself than her sister, trying to clear up the sudden mass of questions that had knotted themselves in her head.

"I see…" Kaede said, pouring herself some tea and taking a sip.

"Actually, Sesshomaru has proven to be a faithful man. Inuyasha's body was consumed by Onigumo, who seeked me out and tried to take advantage of me…but Sesshomaru came and drove him away. I owe him whatever is left of me that I can possibly give" Kikyo said. She could see the youkai's face perfectly clear in her mind; his cold yet attracting features…

"Maybe Inuyasha is dead for a reason" Kaede stated bluntly.

Kikyo looked at her sister as though she were out of her mind. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that maybe Sesshomaru was destined to weave himself into your life. After all, Inuyasha's heart was already taken by another woman."

Kikyo pondered this thought. _Maybe Kaede is right._ "Is this…what you truly believe?" Kikyo questioned hesitantly.

"Would I lie to you, oneesama?" Kaede replied in a the-answer-is-obvious tone.

Kikyo smiled, and without warning threw her arms around her in a sisterly embrace. "Thank you" Kikyo said into Kaede's shoulder. "Now I have a purpose in life once more."

……………………………………….

Kikyo strode away from her younger sister's hut, their conversation still running through her mind.

"_Maybe Inuyasha is dead for a reason."_

Kikyo couldn't believe that after all they had been through together, Inuyasha wasn't destined to be with her. How could fate take such sharp turns? However, Kikyo was through with dwelling in the past. Those days were over, and it was time that she faced reality. With a deep breath of cool air she headed back the way she came, wondering yet at the same time knowing where to go. She made her way across meadows and through prairie-like fields, her heart leading the way. As she weaved passed cherry blossom trees in full bloom, the flowers exploding with beautiful color, something shimmering caught Kikyo's eye. She neared the source, and found herself overlooking a lake, crystal clear, the setting so gorgeous that it beckoned to Kikyo. _Well, I haven't bathed in 50 years_ she thought, nearing the sparkling mass of water. _Let's hope my body is up for it._ Kikyo slid down to the water's edge and removed her slippers. Then she threw off her kimono and plunged into the water. Though the freezing cold rushed up against Kikyo's bare skin, she felt nothing. Her body was just earth and bones after all. She swam deeper and deeper, until her hands swept the rocky bottom. Schools of fish scattered to make way for Kikyo, who glided gracefully through the blue abyss. After a long stretch of time underwater, Kikyo ran out of breath and surfaced once more. Beads of water dripped down her sleek hair, which hung limply down the sides of her face. She felt so refreshed and somehow purified of her reincarnated self, even though she was still living her second life. Kikyo leaned back to float on the water's surface, enjoying the long missed pleasure. _I can't believe that I was buried in so much misery all those years that I missed out on simple things like this _she thought, drifting through the lake peacefully. The waves licked at her delicate form, which rose and fell in unity with their gentle flow. Suddenly, the sound of a stick cracking reached Kikyo's ears, and she instinctively dove underwater out of sight.

Sesshomaru emerged from the trees and strode to the water's edge. He stunk of ash and rotting blood, and was eager to rid himself of these rather unpleasant scents. As he began to shed himself of his most outer layers, he noticed a splash not too far away. He narrowed his eyes and stared out across the lake suspiciously. Deciding it was only a fish of some sort, he continued to undress himself. All the while Kikyo's robes lay in plain sight, strewn recklessly upon the ground. Now standing completely naked amidst a pile of white cloth, the handsome youkai dove into the water.

_Can't hold my breath forever _Kikyo thought, sitting at the bottom of the lake. _I was probably just being paranoid. Who would be at a lake so secluded anyway?_ Choosing to believe that the coast was clear and not wanting to hide herself any longer, Kikyo resurfaced once more. No one was there. The priestess let out a sigh of relief. But no sooner had she taken a few breaths of fresh air, a head of long silver hair emerged not too far away. Kikyo gasped and ducked down yet again. _Sesshomaru….here?_


	12. Virgin Eyes

**Chapter 12**

Kikyo's heart was racing, but she tried her best not to freak out. She didn't want to lose the air held in her lungs that she needed to stay down and out of sight. Kikyo sunk herself deeper and began to swim in the opposite direction that she had seen Sesshomaru. _Maybe if I get far enough away, then I can slip out of the water and hide in the forest _Kikyo thought hopefully, trying to reassure herself. But then she realized that she wouldn't be able to get her clothes, and she cursed inwardly. _Can't walk around the forest naked!_ Kikyo squeezed her eyes shut and pumped her arms and legs as fast as they could possibly go in order to cover as much distance as she could with the amount of oxygen she had left. If Sesshomaru saw her like this, what would he think? In a way she wanted him to see her…maybe he would find her beautiful. But she quickly brushed the thought away. Finally, when her lungs felt about ready to explode, Kikyo slowly rose towards the light. As her head broke the surface, she immediately found herself directly facing a familiar youkai lord…_holy crap!_ Kikyo swore in her head, which was very unlike a priestess to do. There stood Sesshomaru, thin rivers of water trickling down his muscular shoulders and smooth chest. Kikyo could feel a blush creeping up onto her cheeks. _I must've been swimming the wrong way! _She thought. Her blood was pumping hard, her anxiety completely taking over. Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, Kikyo lowered herself down slightly so her breasts weren't showing. Luckily, Sesshomaru wasn't the type to gawk at a woman's body parts. His wide eyes were locked to Kikyo's face in surprise, her ethereal skin reflecting in his shimmering golden orbs. Kikyo stared back, knowing that if she looked down she would see more of the man then she ever wanted to. Sesshomaru suddenly tore his gaze from Kikyo's face, ashamed.

"You shouldn't be here," he said firmly, the embarrassment obvious in his voice. He had never in his life seen a woman this way…

Kikyo had no idea what to say. How was she supposed to react? Instead of responding, the priestess sunk deeper into the surrounding water. She felt so exposed…like she was revealing everything to Sesshomaru, even though it was a complete coincidence that they both happened to be in the same lake. _I'm sure he feels the same way _she thought.

………………………………………

"Sesshomaru?" Rin called, her small voice not carrying very far. All she did was walk off to take a pee and the next thing she knew, he was gone. So maybe she had gotten a little sidetracked with the pretty butterflies. Maybe stopping to pick flowers made her forget. But you'd think he woulda waited! Rin had no idea where to go in this giant forest with nothing to guide her. _It's hopeless_ she thought in despair. Rin trudged around aimlessly for a while, hoping that this was all a game and that Sesshomaru would pop up behind a tree. Unfortunately, no youkai lords came springing at her anytime soon, which caused her worries to deepen.

"I don't want to be alone!" she cried out, all of a sudden swept with the same aching loneliness that she had felt when her family was killed by wolves. As she was about to give up and just bawl her eyes out, Rin heard the sound of waves and streaming water. Realizing how thirsty she had become, she followed the noise and came to a break in the trees, overlooking a magnificent lake.

"Aiyaa! It's so pretty!" she exclaimed, her worries immediately dispersing. "This is going to be so fun." As the little girl skipped to the edge of the water, ready to take off her clothes and jump in, she slipped on a red and white kimono and hit the ground. She groaned and stood up, glancing down at the cause of her fall.

"Hey, that kimono looks familiar…oh my gosh! Kikyo is here!" Rin gasped. She reached down for it and noticed the big furry thing Sesshomaru normally wore sprawled out on the dirt amidst a pile of white robe. Rin's eyes grew wide. For a kid her age, she was pretty quick at jumping to conclusions. The realization came slightly frightening yet exciting at the same time. Rin squinted across the lake for the two of them, and spotted their forms pretty far out in the deeper areas of the water.

"Kikyo! Sesshomaru!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

The young girl's voice caught Sesshomaru's attention and in a flash he was swimming away, cutting through the water at a quick pace. Kikyo continued to stand there, shivering, her feelings completely distorted and confused. As Sesshomaru neared the shore, Rin's face broke into a smile. "Lord Sesshomaru, I had no idea that you…"

"Quiet" he snapped. "Pass me my robes."

Rin immediately shut up and did as she was told. The youkai slipped on the kimono over his wet body, and climbed up the small hill that surrounded the lake, making it seem almost like a huge crater. Rin made to follow him, but remembered that Kikyo was still there. She turned around and waded into the water, not even bothering to take off her yukata.

"Kikyo!" she called.

Kikyo could barely hear the little girl's voice over the thoughts and emotions that swarmed her body and soul. Every inch of Sesshomaru had been frighteningly beautiful…his hair, his eyes, his perfect body…

Rin finally reached the priestess, and held on to her tightly so as not to drown (since her feet couldn't reach the bottom). Kikyo looked at the girl that clung to her arm. She was so innocent and naïve.

"Do you like Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked rather openly. She didn't even seem to realize or care that Kikyo was completely nude.

Kikyo was thrown off guard a bit by this question, and bit her lip. Everything he had done for her, and made her feel…he saved her life twice, each time retreating with apathy rather than basking in all its glory. Of course she liked him. It was all she could do to restrain herself from touching him, exploring his body's natural curves. Sesshomaru was the most peculiar man, cold as ice, yet melting in front of her alone. Kikyo wanted to show him what she was like; take advantage of all the opportunities that she missed with Inuyasha. But Sesshomaru wasn't one to love. _'Demons don't love' _was his constant reply. Kikyo knew that. Yet she felt as though there was still a way. Maybe time was the only remedy…

"Of course not." Kikyo lied. "He's a pervert."

Rin laughed. Just the word 'pervert' being used against Sesshomaru sent her into hysterics. She laughed until tears came, at which time she had to stop in order to regain her breath. "That was funny!" she exclaimed in between pants. No one has ever called Lord Sesshomaru a pervert before."

……………………………………………………..

Night had fallen. Kikyo sat by a warm crackling fire now fully clothed, staring at the hot, burning embers. Rin sat across from her, the flames casting a soft glow on her cream colored face. Sesshomaru had been gone for a while now, and neither Kikyo nor Rin knew whether he'd be back.

"Are you hungry?" Kikyo asked, seeing as Rin was looking a little on the thin side.

Rin shook her head. "If you're not, I'm not."

"Oh come on, it's not that big of a deal to hunt something. I have my arrows."

Again, Rin shook her head, this time more violently. "I'm really not in the mood…" she mumbled.

Kikyo sighed. When were they going to eat then? Staring out at the moonlit water, she suddenly had an idea. "How about we catch some fish?"

Rin's entire face seemed to brighten, and she eagerly nodded. So the two of them headed out to the water, Kikyo sharpening a thin branch to make a spear. She handed it to Rin, then made another one.

"Have you ever speared a fish before?" Kikyo questioned, her eyes scanning the water for any sign of movement.

"No, I don't usually catch fish this way" Rin replied simply.

"Okay, well here's how it's done…" Kikyo started her little lesson, angling the spear just right, showing Rin how to locate and stab the fish with one quick motion. Rin was a natural, and got one right away.

"Wow, you're pretty good" Kikyo complimented, quite surprised.

Rin grinned triumphantly, watching the small trout flop at the end of her sharpened branch before falling limp. Meanwhile, Sesshomaru had slipped out of the shadows and was sitting by the fire against a tree trunk, watching them intently. It amused him to watch Kikyo. After seeing her without a trace of clothing, his whole perspective of her had changed. She was more than just a priestess…

"Look! I caught another one!" Rin squealed, jumping up and down.

Kikyo smiled. Rin was a fast learner, just like Kaede. Kikyo still remembered the first time she took Kaede fishing. It was so long ago that the memory was hazy and barely recognizable, but it was still there, locked away in Kikyo's memory. They stood at the water's edge a while longer, until they had caught and speared six fish. Kikyo scooped up the shiny, wet trout and carried them back up to the fire in her kimono. However, as soon as she noticed Sesshomaru there, she dropped them in surprise.

"Lord Sesshomaru! You came back" Rin said happily while beginning to pick up the dead fish.

Sesshomaru kept silent and refused to make eye contact with Kikyo. His mind was still taken over by the image of her in the lake, completely exposed to him. Sesshomaru couldn't believe how this one mortal woman had managed to make him feel so unusual. It almost angered him…how did she do it?

Kikyo could feel the tension in the air and knew that Sesshomaru was isolating himself from her. She only sighed and helped Rin gather the rest of the fish. Then they took one at a time and roasted them over the fire. It was very quiet, the night hushing every creature in the forest. There wasn't even the slightest bit of wind.

Rin took a bite out of a roasted trout and licked her lips. "This is really good" she said, immediately stuffing more into her mouth.

Before eating one herself, Kikyo tried offering it to Sesshomaru. But he reacted just as she thought he would; he completely ignored the gesture and didn't even bother glancing at her. _Fine, be that way _Kikyo thought, taking a delicate bite out of the fish herself. Everything was deathly silent, except for the sound of chewing and the crackling fire.

**A/N: I hope you all were satisfied with the lake scene...i couldn't make too much happen there because then the characters would be really OOC (i know they already kinda are, but i want them to seem at least a little realistic!). so ya. thank you all reviewers by the way! **


	13. A Dark Presence

**Chapter 13**

Sesshomaru sat quietly against the tree trunk, mulling over his thoughts. Without even realizing it his eyes began lingering over Kikyo, who had fallen asleep next to the burnt out fire. He couldn't seem to resist looking at her. Her beauty yanked at his heart, and Sesshomaru knew that deep inside he wanted her with a passion. Yet he hid this desire behind tons of locked doors, chaining it inside his heart so that it could not escape. He would continue to deny these feelings, not wanting to find out what would happen if he unleashed them. Sesshomaru watched Kikyo's chest rise and fall with her steady breathing, and he realized that his own eyelids were weighing down. The priestess was the last thing on the youkai's mind before he drifted off into unconsciousness and surrendered himself to his dreams…

_Three dark figures stood in complete blackness; their shapes only visible by a small light that had no particular source._

"_No! Leave him!" Came a voice. It was that of a female._

"_Don't you realize what's going to happen? Are you blind, woman?" Came a man's harsh reply._

"_You can't!"_

"_He feels nothing for you! That heartless bastard.."_

"_No…"_

"_You want to die?"_

"_Shut up! Believe it or not, I…I love him!"_

_Then the light suddenly went out, leaving nothing butcomplete darkness…_

……………………………………………………..

Kikyo awoke, rays of sunlight filtering through the treetops and splashing bright color on everything it touched. She sat up and yawned rather loudly, but immediately closed her mouth. There slept Sesshomaru against the tree trunk, looking more peaceful than Kikyo had ever seen him. What came to even more of a surprise was Rin, curled up under his arm, her face buried in the folds of the youkai's silk kimono. Kikyo couldn't help but smile, knowing that Rin had snuck herself there without his consent to share the man's warmth. Sesshomaru would never have allowed her to sleep with him had he been awake.

Kikyo stood up and walked to the edge of the lake, staring out across the glittering surface. She could see herself there from the day before, the water being the only thing that concealed her naked body from a youkai's piercing gaze. The memory was fresh, so much so that Kikyo felt almost like it was happening again. She quickly looked away, not wanting those same emotions to wash over her. _I'll gather some food for a morning meal _she thought, desperate to get her mind off the incident.

Kikyo wandered into the immense forest and began searching for fruits and anything edible. She felt like a hunter-gatherer, collecting food to feed her hungry family (except for the fact that Sesshomaru and Rin weren't exactly her relatives). The trees grew more dense as she got further away from the lake, and soon the treetops had completely blocked out the rising sun. After wandering around for what felt like hours, Kikyo abruptly stopped walking and frowned. There wasn't a trace of food in this forest; no small animals to hunt, no fruit bearing trees, no nuts…it was as if some supernatural being had come through and wiped out everything there was. This striked Kikyo as odd, for she was usually able to acquire all sorts of provisions from a forest like this one. Then the most peculiar sense came over her, like she was being watched. She instinctively turned around, but saw nothing. _Oh get a grip _Kikyo scolded herself. _Even if something happens, you're armed. Besides, Sesshomaru is nearby._ However even with these reassurances, Kikyo still couldn't elude the feeling that something was lurking in her midst. She reached behind her and drew an arrow from the leather pouch strapped to her back, stringing it across her bow just to be safe. She didn't want to be caught off guard if a demon came lurching out at her.

All of a sudden, Kikyo heard whimpering. It was faint, but quite audible to the priestess's keen ears. She followed the sound, leading her deeper into the mass of tall trees. It gradually became louder, until even a very old man could've heard it perfectly clear. Kikyo ducked under a fallen tree trunk and peeked through a bush. There in the middle of a small, grassy clearing, sat the cutest little creature Kikyo had ever seen. It was a monkey no doubt, and seemed to be lost. Its tiny hands were covering its face and it was crying continuously. Her sense of insecurity gone, Kikyo pushed through the bushes and approached the monkey.

"What happened to you, poor creature?" Kikyo asked as though expecting an answer, even though she knew monkeys couldn't talk. She kneeled down beside it and attempted a comforting smile.

The primate looked up at her with large, gleaming eyes, and though Kikyo was captured by how adorable it looked, she didn't fail to notice the tears that matted the fur around them. This compelled her even more to stay as long as necessary to help the furry little thing. It was obviously not afraid of her…in fact, it began to edge closer to her. Kikyo stared down at it, puzzled. She was this tall scary human and yet it made no difference to the monkey. Maybe it wasn't lost after all. Perhaps there was something threatening out there...

_But what?_ Kikyo wondered. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind did Kikyo discover the answer. Evil, menacing looking eyes began to pop up all around her, creeping out from behind the trees. Overcome with terror, the little monkey grabbed Kikyo's leg and hugged it tightly, its furry arms tickling her skin. Kikyo kept a firm grip on her bow as the demon-like creatures closed in on them. On closer inspection, she realized that these were not demons at all. They were forest animals! Everything from rodents to monkeys to deer to even wolves. All of them made up the huge pack that surrounded the priestess and little primate. However, something was not right. Their eyes were bloodshot, and they had a dark presence. Not until they were a few feet away did Kikyo sense the shikon shards implanted in each of their bodies. _What? These shikon shards…where did all of them come from?_ Kikyo thought, her eyes searching the crowd of animals that circled her. _Who on earth could have done such a terrible deed?_

"Miss me Kikyo?"

The priestess whipped her head around at the sound of the voice. All the cursed creatures had ceased their movement and held their positions; fangs beared, claws extended, eyes narrowed. A figure appeared amidst them, long white hair gleaming and puppy dog ears perked. Kikyo recognized it at once as Onigumo, still masked by Inuyasha's body. She glared at him, seething with anger. First he consumed her (former) lover's body, then harassed her, and now this? He just kept getting worse and worse.

Onigumo had a smug look as he slowly moved forward. "You and that youkai lord…just the sight of him makes me want to vomit. How dare he lay eyes on your bare, precious body!"

_He was spying on me? _"You sick bastard!" Kikyo shouted, much louder than she expected.

"You sick bastard!" Onigumo mimicked in a girly voice. "I vowed I would have you one day my Kikyo, and that is not about to change. If I can't gain your love, then I shall take it by force."

Kikyo's loathing deepened at the demon's self-seeking words. "You can try, but I will make sure that you fail" she said.

"I don't see how I could possibly lose, seeing as I'm the one with this army of creatures that obey my every command, and you have only yourself and a pitiful monkey."

The monkey, hearing this insulting comment, stuck its tongue out. Onigumo was now standing quite close, and it took every nerve in Kikyo's body to keep from just letting loose an arrow. She knew that Onigumo had something planned, and that if she reacted then she would only be playing into his evil scheme. Thinking better of making such a rash action, Kikyo lowered her bow slightly. She had to admit, however, that Onigumo was right…by herself she was completely helpless, and she could not shoot at innocent animals that were merely acting under the curse of the shikon shards that poisoned their blood.

Onigumo seemed to be enjoying this very much, as if torturing the priestess was a very entertaining activity. Kikyo looked him in the face, or rather Inuyasha's face, and saw nothing but pure demon. Not even a trace of the original bandit he had once been could be seen through his heavily clouded eyes.

"You've become a monster" Kikyo said, fighting back the tremor in her voice.

"Thank you for sharing" Onigumo replied blatantly, his smile widening across his lips. "If you think of me as a monster, so be it. But without anyone to save you, it is hopeless. Your life is mine."


	14. The Truth Exposed

**Chapter 14**

"You wouldn't!" Kikyo said.

Her protests only made the demon's smile bigger. "Actually, I really would. You see, I'm not one to tolerate feisty women like you. Either you cooperate, or you die."

The little monkey shivered from underneath Kikyo. The priestess's eyes darted from left to right, her mind thinking fast of a way to escape. But she was under too much pressure to figure anything out. Then Kikyo contemplated calling for Sesshomaru's help. But would he come? That was the big question. Sesshomaru had saved her life quite a few times before, but did she mean enough to him that he would rescue her again?

"You can't escape, and don't expect that fool of a youkai lord to show up" Onigumo said coolly, as if reading her mind.

"Oh? Why not?" Kikyo asked through gritted teeth.

"Hehehe…just know that there are a lot of animals in the forest, and I have a lot of shikon shards."

…………………………………….

Sesshomaru's eyes popped open instinctively, sensing danger. He was about to get up when he realized Rin was curled up in his armpit, her mouth open and drooling on his robes as she slept. Both annoyed and disgusted, the youkai shoved her off and stood up. _Was she sleeping with me the entire night? _He wondered, hoping it wasn't so. Then his mind snapped back to attention…why had he woken so suddenly? Sesshomaru scanned the area, looking for any signs of movement. He could feel a strong, ominous aura coming from somewhere, but it was hard to identify the source. He looked out across the lake, then skimmed his eyes along the trees surrounding the water's edge. Still nothing.

All of a sudden, a scream resounded from behind him. Sesshomaru spun around and saw Rin, now awake and panicking, inching backwards on the ground, away from the dark, red-eyed creatures that stood menacingly before her. Sesshomaru stared at them, accustoming himself to their looming presence. _Something is fishy about these demons…_Sesshomaru thought, reaching a hand towards the hilt of the Tokijin. As the forest animals stared at him with flames burning in their eyes, the youkai lord returned the favor with a cold glare. _These creatures…are animals! _He realized.

"Rin, run as far as you can to the other side of the lake" Sesshomaru ordered. "Stay put until I come get you."

Rin looked up at him reluctantly for a moment, then saw the animals closing in and immediately bolted, following Sesshomaru's directions. Oddly enough, the possessed creatures didn't seem to care that the young girl was escaping. Their eyes were focused on Sesshomaru, who now had his blade drawn and was pointing it at them menacingly. He would've swung too, killing these poor innocent forest animals, had he not become aware that Kikyo was nowhere in sight. _That damn priestess is always getting herself into trouble_ he thought, his stomach constricting uneasily. Sesshomaru summoned a cloud and took off, flying over the creatures and into the depths of the forest. They followed close behind, not allowing him to escape. Sesshomaru's eyes searched between the trees below him for a sign of Kikyo or any kind of disturbance. For some reason he felt nervous, and this feeling made him angry. A great youkai lord such as him should not get anxiety! But the longer he searched, the more anxious he became. _Where the hell is she?_ He cursed inwardly. Then he spotted her, but there was someone else there too…

Onigumo swung the Tetsusaiga at Kikyo, who ducked barely in time. The blade skimmed her cheek and left a slash just below her right eye. A trickle of blood dripped down the side of her face, but she didn't bother to wipe it away. Her anger numbed the pain, and she glared at Onigumo. However, Kikyo found it hard to sustain her fury while looking into Inuyasha's face. Though his soul had vanished a long time ago, it was still the hanyou's body that stood before her, still those shimmering eyes that Kikyo had known and loved, the same puppy dog ears and long white hair…

"Why Inuyasha?" Kikyo said suddenly. "Of all people, why him?"

Onigumo stuck the Tetsusaiga into the ground beside him and leaned on it casually, twisting Inuyasha's hair around a finger like a little girl. "Oh I don't think you want to know" he sneered.

"Why him?" Kikyo shouted in a more demanding tone. She was completely fed up with Onigumo's teasing and tired of his stupid tricks to get with her.

"Well, if you really must know…" Onigumo began, but before he could finish Sesshomaru landed in the middle of the scene.

Kikyo gasped at the sight of him. _Is he here to protect me?_

"So we meet again" Onigumo attempted to say calmly, which came out more like a snarl.

Sesshomaru wasn't the least bit happy to lay eyes on Naraku again, nor was he at all surprised. But the fact that he had already killed Inuyasha and was now facing him again caused him to feel slightly disturbed. He drew the Tokijin and in a flash had cut through Inuyasha's skin. "Fight me in your true form" Sesshomaru said coldly, watching the dark red demon blood pour out of the newly torn flesh.

Kikyo stared in shock as Inuyasha's skin split apart and peeled away, guts splattering every which way. Then a new body emerged, a big and gruesome form dripping with foul smelling blood. Four arms extended out, covered in spines like little daggers. Onigumo opened his mouth and roared, revealing rows and rows of sharp fangs. Sesshomaru stood in front of the true Onigumo, sword in hand and eyes fixed.

"You are one ugly bastard" he said.

Onigumo let out a nasty shriek and went for an attack. Sesshomaru sliced off the arm before it even came close to hitting him, and then he flew up straight towards the demon. He swung the Tokijin again, this time aiming for Onigumo's head. But his attack was a little too slow and Onigumo reacted faster. He slashed at Sesshomaru, who fell back with a bloody gash on his shoulder. Kikyo still could not believe what was happening, but she couldn't allow herself to just stand on the sidelines and watch. She had to do something. Picking up her bow, she strung an arrow across and aimed carefully for one of Onigumo's beady, bloodshot eyes. Just as she was about to release it, Kikyo felt a tug on her robes and she looked down to see the monkey, trembling and pointing. Kikyo turned in the direction of its finger and realized that the consumed animals were closing in on them. Thinking fast, Kikyo reached down and picked up the monkey, allowing it to ride on her shoulder. _Onigumo is controlling all these animals _she thought. _If I can just take him out, then they will all go back to normal._

Though Sesshomaru sliced and diced Onigumo, his efforts seemed to be wasted. Every cut left pieces of flesh that only reassembled themselves. Onigumo cackled in a nonhuman tone of voice. "You can never destroy me" he said, slamming fists into the ground.

_He's become much stronger than before _Sesshomaru thought with frustration. He hated wasting time, and fighting this demon seemed to be going nowhere. He couldn't afford to lose another arm, and the gash in his shoulder felt like it was deepening. Sesshomaru had his sword halfway sheathed when Onigumo suddenly reached out, catching him off guard. The demon ripped him from the ground and squeezed the breath out of him. Though the pain was excruciating, Sesshomaru allowed no expressions to escape him that would let on that he was hurting. The Tokijin had fallen from his hand and was lying on the ground a few feet away. Sesshomaru stared fearlessly into Onigumo's eyes, which were completely clouded over with red haze.

"I have you now" Onigumo hissed, spitting clear liquid into the youkai's face as he talked. "Lets see how pretty you are once I bite off your head!"

"Leave him alone!" Kikyo cried out, standing directly in front of Onigumo.

Sesshomaru did not divert his attention from Onigumo as the demon focused its eyes on Kikyo. "Do you not realize what will happen if I let him go?" he cackled, his voice breaking with every word. "Do you take me for a fool, woman?"

Tears began to well up in Kikyo's eyes. She had no idea why, but they came almost instinctively as she looked up at the man being crushed in Onigumo's fist. "I can't stand you!"

Onigumo clenched Sesshomaru even tighter. "He feels nothing for you. Why spare the life of a heartless bastard?"

"You're wrong…" Kikyo said, readying her bow.

"You want to die in his place?" The demon bellowed, taking a lumbering step forward towards the priestess.

Kikyo took a step backwards, the blood pounding in her ears, and the adrenaline rushing through her body. "Shut up!" she yelled. "Believe it or not, I love him!"


	15. Poisoned

**Chapter 15**

The words escaped Kikyo's lips before she even realized it. It came to her so suddenly, so randomly, yet she meant it completely…

_She loves me _Sesshomaru thought, cringing under the pressure of Onigumo's fingers around his waist. _Ha, what an idiot. That doesn't mean anything to me. _He just couldn't admit it.

_Love is a strong word _Kikyo's mother had told her once. _Just like hate. When you tell someone you love them, it means your heart has decided. Don't let your mind fool you into thinking you love. When the time is right, your heart will tell you._

_My mind isn't fooling me mother _Kikyo thought firmly. _My heart has decided._ But after a few seconds, she became hesitant. _Is this really true? Could I actually be madly in love with someone who does not feel the same way in return?_ From the way that Sesshomaru had been acting, Kikyo had a lingering doubt that he felt anything for her. But then again, why had he come? He must have been worried, right?

Before Kikyo could think up answers to any of these questions, the realization of Onigumo's raging presence suddenly came back to her. She took up her bow and quickly aimed…Sesshomaru being crushed in the demon's fist….then she released it, a fast arrow straight towards Onigumo's beady eye. His reaction time was far delayed, and it hit right on target. Onigumo reeled back in pain, the pointed edge of the arrow sinking deeper into his pupil. However, the pain in his eye could not match the pain and anger he now felt in his heart, and he shot a demon arm at the priestess. She easily dodged it, for Onigumo was now blinded and could not coordinate his attacks. Kikyo watched him crash sideways into some nearby trees, ripping them from their roots. His grip on Sesshomaru loosened quite a bit, allowing the youkai lord to slip out and retrieve his weapon.

"Augh! My eye! Damn you Kikyo!" Onigumo bellowed. He then got a tight grip on the arrow and ripped it out, his eyeball going with it. Only bloody veins and dark red flesh remained in the hollow space where the eye had been. Completely crazy and more dangerous then ever, Onigumo pulled himself clumsily to his feet and went on a rampage, attacking anything and everything that moved. This included the corrupted animals, of which he slaughtered by the masses. Sesshomaru took advantage of his disabled state and attacked from all directions. Still, he encountered the same problem; the sliced pieces of flesh always healed back together. It was frustrating and puzzling at the same time. _This is so hopeless!_ He thought irritably.

"Don't waste your energy!" Kikyo called out to Sesshomaru. She had an idea.

Sesshomaru wasn't sure whether he should believe the priestess, but hesitated to swing his blade all the same.

Kikyo closed her eyes and focused all her power on conjuring up a spell. She had only executed it once, when she bound Inuyasha to a tree 50 years ago. All her life she regretted that one deed, for at the time she had been acting under the influence of Naraku. Kikyo had vowed she would never use the spell again, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Her eyebrows furrowed as she concentrated harder. She could feel every part of her body tingling, drawing their energy together. What Kikyo hoped for was an eternal curse, one that would keep Onigumo constrained forever. Her hands began to feel warm, then grew hotter as the power became greater. As soon as she felt as though she had drained herself of all magic, and her body was weak, she carefully transferred the energy to her arrow. It glowed brightly, creating a small orb of pure light around the priestess. Without hesitation, Kikyo strung the arrow across her bow and aimed once more. This time she pointed it towards Onigumo's chest, in an attempt to pierce his heart.

From watching her, Sesshomaru realized Kikyo's intentions, and without further ado he sprung into the air to distract the demon. He was in mid-air, about to attack, when all of a sudden a wave of nausea washed over him. Sesshomaru fell back down, landing on his hands and knees. _What is this? _He thought. His lungs began to constrict, making his breath short and ragged. A sudden convulsion of coughs sent blood spurting from his mouth; unnaturally colored blood. Sesshomaru wiped his lips with the backside of his hand and examined the smear. It was contaminated with poison.

The monkey tapped Kikyo's shoulder, but she didn't feel it. She was too concentrated to notice anything but her own actions. She was waiting for the exact right moment. Onigumo suddenly lunged forward, straight towards the priestess. _This is it! _Kikyo shouted in her head, and released the arrow. Time almost seemed to stand still as the enchanted arrow cut through the air, and Onigumo's gruesome demon body came closer and closer. The arrow hit almost dead center on his chest. The force threw Onigumo backwards, driving him straight into the trunk of a large oak tree. Kikyo held her breath, praying that her spell had worked.

"You…you wench!" Onigumo screamed. "It's not over yet! I will have you!" But the magic began to settle in, and his struggles slowed. "You will die…Kikyo…"

Then all motion ceased, and his head fell to his chest. Kikyo let out a sigh, and collapsed in front of Onigumo's body, exhausted. The little monkey jumped from Kikyo's shoulder and landed in her lap, bouncing up and down. The priestess smiled meekly.

"You're safe now" she said. "You can go home."

But the primate did not budge. It was trying to tell her something. Kikyo watched it wearily, then suddenly realized what it was pointing to. Kikyo stood up hastily and ran to Sesshomaru, who had collapsed on the ground. She kneeled by his side, deep concern written all over her face. His eyes were tightly shut, and he was clutching his shoulder. Kikyo could smell the poison in his blood before she even noticed the gash Onigumo had left. Kikyo immediately sprung into action. She rolled Sesshomaru onto his back and took hold of the wounded arm. There was only one way to get most of the poison out. Kikyo leaned down and put her mouth to the gash. At the feeling of Kikyo's lips on his skin, Sesshomaru growled and tried to pull away, but found that his condition was so pathetic that even such a simple task as that was difficult. Kikyo ignored him and sucked out as much blood as possible, then spat it out on the ground beside her. She did this a few times, until the blood she was spitting became a more normal color. Then she found the nearest bush and selected the freshest leaves. She returned in a hurry, ripping off long strips of her kimono. Her experienced hands worked quickly, pressing the leaves against the open wound and wrapping cloth around the arm.

"Don't…waste your sympathy" Sesshomaru growled through tightly clenched teeth.

Kikyo paused and looked him directly in the face. "Don't act so arrogant" she said, tying the strips of white cloth together. Her hands were bloody and red, but it made no difference to her. "There are healers at my sister's village, which isn't too far from here. I'm going to take you to them."

"What makes you think….I want to be taken…to a bunch of…mortals?" Sesshomaru managed to sputter, the effects of the poison still causing him to feel nauseous.

Kikyo rolled her eyes and slid her head under his good arm, slowly lifting him from the ground. Sesshomaru didn't like the idea of being carried by a woman, or being in such a pitiful state. He loathed having to rely on others. Kikyo's strength surprised him, for she had successfully gotten him to his feet and was now dragging him along.

"You'll thank me later" Kikyo huffed, taking one slow step at a time.

……………………………………………………..

Rin sat with her arms around her knees on the other side of lake, waiting for Sesshomaru to come just like he promised. But what was taking him so long? Rin was getting really nervous. She was scared that something awful had happened to him. And what about Kikyo? Rin suddenly remembered that Kikyo wasn't there when she woke up. Was she in danger too? A cold breeze nipped at Rin's yukata and she huddled tighter against her legs. Then she heard the sound of crunching leaves, and immediately froze. She could feel herself shaking. What if a demon was coming up behind her? Rin slowly rose to her feet and turned around, her eyes searching frantically amidst the shrubs and trees for something to appear. A shadow became visible, followed by a small figure. Rin squinted at it, and as it came closer she realized who it was.

"Lord Jaken!" she gasped.

Sesshomaru's little green companion hobbled over, carrying his usual stick, but leaning on it more than usual for support. His forehead was completely swollen, but other than that he seemed fine. He was lucky to even be alive.

"What happened to you?" Rin asked, looking him over. "Your head is all black and blue."

Jaken lowered himself to the ground and sat next to the girl. "Don't get ahead of yourself" he grumbled. Then he looked around, and only then saw that Rin was alone. "Where is Lord Sesshomaru?"

"He's fighting demons. He told me to come here and wait for him, but he hasn't returned. I'm afraid he might be in trouble."

Jaken swore under his breath. "He's already in trouble as it is!" he said.

"What do you mean?" Rin asked, staring wide-eyed at Jaken.

"That young lass to whom I owe this disgusting, swollen head, has announced to the Northern village that Lord Sesshomaru killed Inuyasha. Is that true?"

Rin just shrugged. She didn't remember anything from then.

"Well anyway," Jaken continued. "All the villagers are angry now, and are planning to hunt down our lord and execute him."

Rin looked at Jaken with a so-what expression. "What can a bunch of mortal men do to Lord Sesshomaru?"

Jaken rolled his eyes. He just couldn't stand being around Rin sometimes. "You can never underestimate them" he snapped. "You'd be surprised how smart they can be when it comes to killing demons."

Little did they know that Kikyo and Sesshomaru were headed straight towards that same village…


	16. Captured

**Chapter 16**

Kikyo dragged Sesshomaru along, his weight starting to strain her back. For a while he had been more or less supporting himself, but his body was succumbing to the poison and he relied more on Kikyo's shoulder to keep him upright. _I sure hope my back doesn't give out before we reach the village _Kikyo thought in dismay. _At least the poison didn't kill him. Any mortal man would have died within seconds of blood contact._

The sun was brighter now, and the morning dew on the leaves of the trees began to drip away. The air seemed especially pure, as though the binding of Onigumo had lifted a curtain of demon stench that was polluting it before. Kikyo gratefully breathed in this air, glad to be out of the midst of a place reeking of blood and torn flesh. It felt like she had been walking forever, and Sesshomaru just kept getting heavier. A small stream caught Kikyo's attention, and she hurried over to it as fast as she could. The priestess gently laid the youkai down on a tuft of grass and pulled her head out from under his arm. Then she knelt down to the edge of the stream, cupped the sparkling water in her hands and took a sip. The cool liquid splashed down her throat and cooled her insides. Kikyo rinsed her face and dried her hands on her tattered, ripped kimono. Now feeling refreshed and ready to move on, she ambled back over to Sesshomaru. He looked so pathetic and weak; the whites of his eyes were turning red, and his face was becoming very pale. Kikyo leaned down to pull him up, but as she neared his body, she sensed tension. Something wasn't right.

"You don't have to do this" Sesshomaru said, his voice low, almost raspy.

Kikyo frowned. "And why wouldn't I? After the countless times you've saved my life, I think I owe it to you."

Sesshomaru didn't reply. He was not in the mood to argue, nor to protest against her carrying him, though he hated being weak. The truth was obvious; he was content to be getting cared for once out of his entire life. He had never been rescued, never needed to be rescued, until now. And the feeling of being with Kikyo was so strange, yet so pleasant…

Kikyo studied the youkai's face. _Why does he has to be handsome even when he's hurt? _She thought, unable to lift her eyes from his face. Suddenly embarrassed to be thinking such things at a time like this, she brushed the thought from her mind.

"We'd better get a move on" Kikyo said gently.

Sesshomaru pulled himself up into a sitting position, hiding the intense pain behind a cold, expressionless face.

"No! You musn't move unnecessarily!" Kikyo cried.

Sesshomaru supported himself with a nearby tree and slowly got to his feet. _Damn, I can barely move _he thought with frustration.

Kikyo rushed next to him and put his arm around her neck. "Don't act so tough all the time" she said, helping the youkai away from the tree. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Sesshomaru grumbled but allowed Kikyo to move him. He had misjudged her the very first time they met. He never did realize what strength she possessed, both physically and mentally.

Kikyo continued forward, keeping a slow but steady pace. They made their way across fields and through meadows of blooming flowers, still not reaching any sort of civilization. Kikyo was starting to worry that maybe they were heading the wrong way. But she reassured herself, thinking that the journey was just taking longer because of the extra load.

"Something's coming" Sesshomaru said suddenly.

Kikyo abruptly stopped walking and listened. The sound of footsteps and crunching leaves could be heard. There was rustling in the bushes, and the voices of men coming closer.

"Oh, it must be the village men. We're close!" Kikyo said excitedly.

But Sesshomaru wasn't feeling the same excitement. He sensed danger. They continued to move along until all of a sudden, men began pouring from every direction. They came out from in between the trees and bushes, surrounding Kikyo and the limp youkai. Each man was armed with a bow and arrow, which were pointed straight at them. Kikyo scanned the group of people, recognizing many of them from Kaede's village.

"It's okay" she said, confused as to why they were all armed. "It's just me, Kikyo. The wise woman's elder sister."

But the men were not worried about Kikyo. Their dark, fearful eyes were focused on the youkai beside her. Their weapons did not move.

"It's him!" shouted a female voice from the crowd. "That's the demon!"

Kikyo whipped her head around agitatedly, trying to see who had spoken. But the men had begun to move closer, their arrows looking even more sharp and menacing.

"Wait…what are you doing?" Kikyo cried, shifting her grip on Sesshomaru's arm. "This man is hurt! I must bring him to a healer in your village as quickly as possible!"

The villagers continued to close in on them, ignoring the priestess's protests. Sesshomaru felt the anger begin to build inside of him. _Do these mortal fools think that they can defeat me? _He thought, straightening himself up. _There may be poison in my blood, but my blade holds the power to slice you all into pieces! _

Kikyo gasped as Sesshomaru pulled himself from her grasp and charged at the nearest men, ripping his sword from its sheath as he went.

"Sesshomaru! NO!" Kikyo shouted. "They're only villagers!"

But Sesshomaru had already begun to attack, and with each swing five men were slaughtered. The others who were witnessing it started releasing their arrows, but they had no effect. As soon as the arrows made contact with Sesshomaru, they disappeared into nothing.

Kikyo stood in shock, unable to move or do anything. Suddenly, as though not enough drama was occurring at the moment, there was a loud exploding noise like nothing Kikyo had ever heard before. Then she saw Sesshomaru double over and crumple on the ground. A young lass pushed through the crowd, holding an unusual weapon in her hand. It was long and made of wood, and smoke was rising from the barrel at its tip. Kikyo studied the female's face and almost choked when she realized who it was. _Kagome?_

Kikyo ran over to where Sesshomaru had fallen, trying to shove her way passed the swarm of men that were surrounding his motionless body. But they refused to let her through, and a few of them even grabbed her and pulled her back. Kikyo could not remember when she had ever felt this furious. But seeing Kagome with that dangerous weapon, and using it against Sesshomaru…it caused the hate to rush through her veins. Kagome had never been someone she regarded nicely, especially since she had taken Inuyasha from her, but Kikyo always put up with it. This time, she couldn't let it pass. The priestess ran at Kagome, who saw her and went wide-eyed in shock. Kikyo ripped the rifle from Kagome's grasp and knocked her down, shoving a sandal clad foot into her neck. Some men nearby saw what was happening and hoisted Kikyo away from Kagome, whose eyes never lost their look of terror. Kikyo was fuming, the rifle still in her hand and a sweat accumulating on her brow.

"You foul woman!" Kikyo shouted, struggling in the grasp of the men.

The men surrounding Sesshomaru lifted him from the ground and began to carry him away. Kikyo saw them leaving and tried even more desperately to pull away from the villagers that held her. But she had actually become unknowingly weaker, because she had not been nourished with the souls of the dead. Her struggles were useless. A man reached a hand out to Kagome and helped her up, then they all began to head back to the village. Kikyo was dragged along as well. _Where is Kaede? _The priestess thought desperately. _She would not stand for this! When did the village men become so cruel?_

The trees parted and the collection of small huts that made up the Northern village came into view. Kikyo didn't know whether Sesshomaru was dead or alive, and the panic was starting to settle in. What were they going to do to him? The men had ambushed her. As if it was all planned...were they plotting to take Sesshomaru all along? _Kagome, you are as good as dead _Kikyo thought. Nothing could've hurt her more than seeing Sesshomaru fall only a few days after Inuyasha…


	17. Village Raid

**Chapter 17**

The men hauled Kikyo into the village, pulling so hard the priestess felt like her arms were going to rip out of their sockets. Kikyo's eyes swept each hut they passed by, hoping to find Kaede. Her sister was the only person that could possibly stop this madness. But she had no such luck. Suddenly they came to halt. Kikyo was so concentrated that she didn't even realize that they had walked the entire stretch of huts and were now on on the outskirts of the village.

"You will stay here until further notice" said one of the more muscular of the men, yanking Kikyo by the wrists towards a single tree that stuck out of the ground. He then took a thick rope and tied her hands together, then wrapped the excess rope around the tree. After fastening Kikyo firmly with her back to the trunk, the man walked off, and the rest of the men followed.

Kikyo glared angrily after them, tugging at the ropes that bound her wrists behind her. _This is ridiculous! _She thought. Normally ropes were not enough to hold the priestess hostage, but she was in fact weak from the lack of dead souls within her. _Godammit! What am I supposed to do now? Where's Kaede? What did they do to Sesshomaru?_ Kikyo's mind was filling up with questions, and it was driving her insane. So many things were happening in a matter of days, and Kikyo just couldn't keep up. She needed to know what the heck was going on before her head exploded.

The afternoon heat was kicking in, and Kikyo found herself feeling lucky that it had been a shady tree she was tied to, and not a pole or something else. A thin breeze swept through the leaves, making a rustling sound that was almost soothing to the priestess's ears. She knew that eventually her legs were going to wear out from standing, so she hoped that someone would come before that happened. Hours dragged by, and random villagers passed by the tree without even looking at her.

"Hey, excuse me sir! Would you be so kind as to cut these ropes for me?" Kikyo asked an old man as he hobbled past. But the man completely ignored her. _Thanks a lot, geezer _Kikyo thought irritably. Then she saw another person and her face brightened somewhat.

"You there!" she called to a young woman. "Could you please…" but there was no use finishing the request, for the lady strode away quickly. Kikyo was becoming very frustrated, especially since the people seemed to be purposely avoiding her. "Fine! If no one will help me, then be that way!" she shouted to no one in particular.

Then, unexpectedly, a young girl walked out of one of the huts and turned her little dark haired head in Kikyo's direction. _Is she looking at me? _The priestess wondered. _Nah, she's probably no different than everyone else in this village_. But she was completely wrong. The girl began to wander towards the tree, her big brown eyes glued to Kikyo's face. As she drew nearer, Kikyo immediately recognized her.

"Aiko!" she gasped, relief sweeping over her.

Hearing her name, the girl ran up to Kikyo and hugged her tightly. "Priestess Kikyo" she mumbled into her kimono.

"What are you doing in this village?" Kikyo asked, wishing her arms were free to hug the little girl back.

Aiko lifted her head. "I don't know. My granma said we had to move, but I didn't want to because you never came back and I wanted to wait for you. That guy you were talking to looked really mean."

Kikyo grinned at the mention of Sesshomaru. _He appears mean, but once you get to know him…_

"What happened to you Priestess Kikyo?" Aiko asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

"It's a long story" Kikyo replied. "Listen, do you know where the wise woman of the village is? She's old and wears a patch over her left eye."

Aiko nodded obediently.

"So she is here!" Kikyo thought aloud. She shifted herself against the tree to get into a more comfortable position. "Do you think you could run and get her?"

"But don't you want me to cut your ropes?"

"It's alright. I can bear it for a little while longer. Just run along now and come back as quickly as you can."

Aiko nodded again, pulled away from the priestess and hurried away. _Please be quick _Kikyo thought, watching the girl disappear into the village. The priestess waited as patiently as she could for Aiko to return. Her wrists were starting to become sore, but Kikyo ignored it. Just when she thought that the young girl was not coming back, two figures emerged from the town. They came in a hurry; one obviously Aiko, and the other a slumping, old woman…

"Oneesama!" Kaede cried as she and Aiko reached the priestess.

"Thank god" Kikyo breathed, staring down at her sister.

Kaede whipped a dagger out of her robes and immediately began cutting at the ropes. "I am so sorry, sister" she said, shaking her head with frustration.

"Kaede, what is going on here?" Kikyo demanded as the ties loosened around wrists.

"Shhh! We'll talk in a more private place" Kaede said, throwing the pieces of rope aside and leading Kikyo away from the tree.

Kikyo was relieved to have the binds gone, and she rubbed her sore wrists. Aiko tagged along with the two elder women as they walked hastily back into the village to one of the more run down huts in the area. Kaede lifted the bamboo curtain and Kikyo ducked inside. The old woman followed immediately afterwards. This hut was much more beat up than the one Kikyo had visited Kaede in the last time she was here, and this confused the priestess even more. The air inside was dusty, and the walls were cracked all the way up to the roof, which had holes large enough to see the blue sky up above.

"Please sit" Kaede said, moving hastily about the hut in an attempt to clean it up a bit. "I'm so sorry about all of this. I didn't mean for any of it to happen."

Kikyo sat down and looked at her sister with eyes full of worry. "Please elaborate Kaede! What is wrong with the villagers? Is Sesshomaru dead?"

"I'll explain everything" Kaede said, kicking up more dust into the air as she swept the dirt floor.

Aiko peeked her head into the hut, and Kikyo motioned for her to come in. The little girl ran inside and sat very close to the priestess.

"They raided our village…" Kaede began, keeping her eyes aimed at the floor.

Kikyo's eyebrows narrowed. "Who…?"

"The men from the East."

"How dare they….but why?"

Kaede shrugged and put down her broom. "They've always seeked power, and now I guess they have it in their senseless brains that they can dominate all of Japan."

Kikyo bit her lip and thought about this for a moment. _But in the group that ambushed us…there were men from this village…_

"Are they trying to convert our people into them?" she questioned.

Kaede lifted her weary, old eyes to meet Kikyo's and nodded solemly. "I'm afraid so" she replied. "As for Sesshomaru, he has not been killed. He is merely unconscious, but the eastern villagers have him confined in a room sealed with all sorts of demon-proof spells. I was there when it happened…I saw everything. Forgive me for not coming to you sooner."

The thought of Sesshomaru stuck in a dark room alone, bleeding to death and unable to move was painful to Kikyo. "He needs a healer" the priestess said, her tone of voice stern yet slightly trembling.

"I know. I could hardly bear to watch them carry him away with the blood dripping off his body, staining the ground behind them as they walked…but we cannot get him a healer. All our people are being carefully watched, and there is no way that we could sneak someone inside that room. The easterners refuse to help him."

"Then why do they keep him alive?" Kikyo bursted out angrily. "Why make him suffer? It's torture to him as well as me!"

Kaede could sense the passion her sister felt for the youkai lord. She never felt it so strong before…

"I'm sick of death. People are always dying and getting killed…I've seen death and even died myself. I just can't take it anymore."

Aiko laid her head against the priestess's side and her eyelids slowly began to close.

"Please don't get yourself into any trouble, oneesama" Kaede pleaded. "I don't want you to end up like Sesshomaru."

Kikyo's lips tightened into a thin line. "Don't you worry. If that damn Kagome comes anywhere near me with that retched weapon, I'll rip her head off."

"Kagome was involved in this?" Kaede asked, completely stunned.

Kikyo did not answer. She was too infuriated to say anything at the moment.

"Did Kagome inflict damage upon Sesshomaru?" Kaede urged her sister.

The priestess simply nodded.

"I never would've thought that Kagome of all people would do such a thing…she has always been such a sweet girl."

Just then, the sound of men's voices and footsteps could be heard outside their hut. Kaede stood stock still, listening. As the sounds came closer, she quickly motioned Kikyo into a corner, hiding her behind pots and random objects that she found. Aiko snapped awake as her human pillow was taken away.

"Don't move" Kaede whispered to Kikyo. "I'll take care of this."

The footsteps halted outside the old woman's hut, and then a man's head came through the curtain. It was one of the Northern villagers. Kaede breathed a sigh of relief.

"You are needed, Kaede" said the man.

Kaede nodded. "You two stay here" she said to Aiko and Kikyo, who had come out of hiding once she knew there was no danger. Then Kaede followed the man out of the hut, and the bamboo curtain swayed shut behind her.

**author's note: sorry to end it there! im trying to stretch out this fanfic...don't worry, next chapter will be more exciting :-)**


	18. An Unfriendly Meeting

**Chapter 18**

Sesshomaru awoke to the feeling of immense pain shooting through his limbs. His eyes snapped open, and he found himself in a dark, damp room. Cringing, he dragged himself up into a sitting position. The air was stale and stunk of blood. His blood. It ran in red streams down his body, collecting in puddles at his feet. Sesshomaru suddenly remembered the loud explosion and feeling something hit him full force in the leg. He lifted his stained robes from the wounded area and saw something imbedded in the flesh of his left leg. It was an iron bullet, quite small, but extremely painful. Sesshomaru had never seen anything like it, but he knew it had to come out. The yokai got a good grip on the bullet with two clawed fingers and ripped it out. More blood came splashing down his leg as soon as it was removed. Sesshomaru gritted his teeth and bared the pain. He threw the iron ball into a corner and then sat still, drenched in blood, the darkness of the room closing in around him…

………………………………………………….

Kikyo and Aiko exchanged glances. Both were thinking the same thing: _what to do now?_ They weren't allowed out of the hut, because there were eastern men patrolling the village. Kikyo went up to the bamboo curtain and peeked outside. The coast was clear as far as she could see, but at any given moment one of them could come right out of nowhere and spot them. Kikyo closed the curtain and walked back to where Aiko sat, whose eyes were wide and attentive.

"I guess we'll just have to hang out here. You and me" said the priestess, the tone of her voice slightly disheartened.

But Aiko didn't seem depressed at all. She smiled brightly. "This is going to be fun! You can teach me all about flowers and herbs, we can braid each other's hair, and talk about boys!" she blurted all at once.

"Boys?" Kikyo asked, raising her eyebrow at the eager face looking up at her. "Are you fond of someone, Aiko?"

The girl blushed furiously. "Um…maybe…." she said, grinning sheepishly.

Kikyo sat down in front of her. "So who is this guy?"

"No one special…."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to…."

"No! I'll tell you" Aiko said, her cheeks really red. "It's…it's one of the boys at the other village. One in the group of us that you were teaching to read."

Kikyo thought back to the kids at the village by the sea. She pictured their faces in her mind, trying to remember their names. "Is it Hoshi?"

Aiko shook her head. Kikyo thought harder of more kids' names.

"Hidemitsu?"

"No."

"Shinji?"

"No."

"Takehiro?"

"No…."

Kikyo always did poorly with guessing games, but she continued anyway. Aiko was smiling very widely now, her blush fading slightly.

"How about…." Kikyo paused a moment to mull over the possibilities. "…Keita?"

Aiko started giggling, and Kikyo knew that she had guessed the girl's crush. "So, Keita is the lucky guy, eh?"

Aiko only grinned. Her blush had returned.

"Not a bad choice. If I were your age, I probably would have picked him too. He's quite the gentleman."

"He's cute" Aiko said shyly.

"That too" Kikyo said, chuckling.

"Well now that I told you who my crush is, aren't you going to tell me yours?" Aiko asked, pulling the priestess's sleeve.

Kikyo went quiet for a moment. Thinking of the yokai lord always made her edgy. "You know, I think maybe I ought to teach you more about herbs," she said, changing the subject.

Aiko looked a little disappointed, but she didn't protest. The rest of the afternoon, Kikyo taught Aiko all about plants and which ones to use in which circumstances. They talked and laughed and did all sorts of girly things, temporarily forgetting about their troubles in the outside world. Before long, night had fallen. The crickets began their chirping, and the stars came out to illuminate the darkened sky. Kaede still hadn't returned, and it was worrying Kikyo. She decided that maybe it was time to take a risk. Sesshomaru wasn't going to save himself any time soon. He was far too injured. Kikyo had to help him.

Aiko noticed Kikyo's nervous expression. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Kikyo turned to the little girl and attempted a reassuring smile. "I need to take care of some business, that's all" she said. "You stay here and wait for the wise woman to return. I'll be back." With that, the priestess snuck out of the hut.

It was almost pitch black outside, and extremely cold. The only light came from torches that were placed in random areas of the village. Kikyo edged around the hut to the other side and began to look for any sign of where Sesshomaru might be. She also kept an eye out for easterners. Her heart was pounding. She knew that what she was doing was dangerous, but that was the least of her worries. The sudden sound of footsteps broke the silence, and Kikyo ducked down into the shadows. She watched as two scruffy looking men walked by. One she recognized as the man that tied her to the tree. She scowled at him as he passed. Once they were out of sight, Kikyo continued on her way. Her thin sandals padded against the soft dirt as she moved stealthily through the village. _Where is that room Kaede was speaking of? It has to be around here somewhere _Kikyo thought with frustration. As she darted in between villager's houses, her foot suddenly splashed in something cold. Kikyo's eyes snapped downwards, and in the dim light she saw that her foot was covered in dark red liquid. It was the blood of a demon. _Sesshomaru…._

"Hey! What are you doing out here?" came a gruff voice behind the priestess.

Kikyo moaned. _This can't be good…_

An eastern man stomped up to her, his bushy eyebrows narrowed over his cold brown eyes. "No one is allowed outside. Turn back."

Kikyo hesitated. "But sir…"

"Do not protest, or you will suffer the consequences" the man growled.

Kikyo's fist clenched, but she did not complain. Instead she turned on her heel and began to head back the way she came. She looked back and saw the man still standing there. The priestess quickened her pace and made an abrupt turn behind the nearest hut. _There's no way I'm going back now _she thought. Kikyo poked her head out and found that the coast was clear once more. The eastern man had left, probably to go patrol another area. Kikyo moved in silence out into the open, and scanned her surroundings. A dark shadow looming in the background caught her eye. It seemed a bit peculiar and out of place. Kikyo headed towards it, feeling like she was finally headed in the right direction. As she walked, she noticed more blood splotches on the ground. Kikyo followed the trail of Sesshomaru's blood, which led right up to the darkened shadow she had seen just a moment ago. Kikyo immediately recognized it as the room where Sesshomaru was being held prisoner. It had scrolls plastered over every wall and door, and on them were written the most powerful demon spells. Kikyo brought her hand up and touched one of the wooden walls, examining a scroll. She used to remove demon proof spells all the time, but she just couldn't think right now. _Sesshomaru is in this room, suffering _she thought in distress, leaning her head against the wall.

Kikyo suddenly heard footsteps again, and she quickly hid behind a tree expecting to see an eastern guard. To her surprise, however, it was a woman. In fact, it was the person Kikyo least expected to see, or even wanted to see. It was Kagome. In the lass's hands was a wooden slate, on top of which was a tea kettle and a small cup. She was heading straight up to the room in which Sesshomaru was confined.

_What the hell does she think she's doing?_ Kikyo thought angrily, edging out of the shadows. She snuck along the wall, and watched as Kagome slid open the door and entered. Kikyo listened, and only moments after Kagome had entered the room, she heard a low growl coming from inside. Soon after, Kagome emerged once more. Kikyo could not constrain herself. She moved out of hiding and confronted the girl. Kagome dropped the ceramic tea kettle in surprise.

"Kikyo…" she breathed.

Without hesitation, Kikyo slapped Kagome across the face. The lass reeled back slightly, covering her burning cheek with a hand.

"Curse you" Kikyo said, looming over Kagome. "Do you exist to torture me? To torture the ones I love?"

Kagome shook her head with fear. There were tears in her eyes.

Kikyo could feel all her anger boiling dangerously inside. Everything she hated Kagome for was washing over her all at once. Every memory, every feeling, everything…it was all coming back to her. "Don't force me to kill you. It would be quite simple actually. I just don't want to see you set foot in this room ever again" Kikyo said, her voice cold and menacing.

Kagome only nodded, afraid that the priestess would hit her again.

"Get out of here" Kikyo hissed. "And if you let word slip of me being here to a single soul, I will seek you out and rip your skull apart."

Kagome quickly dashed off, tripping on small rocks in the dirt as she ran.


End file.
